A Spot of Tea
by gabrielfuckingagreste
Summary: Hawkmoth discovers that Ladybug is none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and things get spotty.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Portfolio

Marinette glanced at the calendar on her desk in the bustling office. Grimacing, she stood, and headed for Gabriel's office.

Don't get her wrong, she loved working for Gabriel's company, she loved how much impact she had despite being just an intern. But the thought of judging a design contest that she had won (three years in a row) was a bit nerve-wracking. Her fingers clutched her notebook, knowing that she'd have to walk on eggshells.

It wasn't Gabriel who was afraid of, it was the designers who entered the contest. Marinette knew that this situation was akuma-breeding ground.

She brushed by Nathalie's office, already filled with twittering designers, hopefuls. They were all between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, just like her. Hell, some of them were designers she had competed against.

Still, they knew who she was, and fell silent. _Don't be too intimidating,_ she thought, smiling at them, waving.

Not bothering to knock, she headed inside. Gabriel's office composed of four rooms. The front room had a sofa, coffee table, and dining room table, and looked rather executive, with three doors taking up a wall leading to the other rooms. The second room was a small work studio, complete with a drawing table, a dress form, and a sewing machine. The middle room was his personal bathroom, and the last room was his office.

Gabriel sat on the sofa, but did stand when she entered the room, "Marinette, always a pleasure. Thank you for assisting me today." He gestured for her to sit.

"What exactly do you want me to assist you with, before we start?" She smiled slightly, his blue eyes were so unnerving, even underneath his glasses.

"I need you to develop a critical eye." He told her, "Criticize every designer at least once, when I ask. That's all." Gabriel pressed the send button on his cell phone, telling Nathalie that they were ready.

His hands tapped against his notebook lightly, he had to pick the right designer to akumatize. He was so close to figuring out the identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Gabriel noticed how Chat acted during Jackady, how he handled it. It was with an expert level of precision, and the way he acted around Gabriel himself?

 _Chat Noir has to work close to me,_ he thought, _I just need to get an akuma to attack my office and I'll know exactly who he is._ There were enough cameras, there weren't a lot of people who worked in his office. He would know by the end of the day, he just needed Marinette to be his catalyst.

He glanced to her, feeling her anxiety emanating off of her. Still, he decided to take this girl under his wing, and he knew if he pushed her in the right direction, she would gain confidence and be a better designer because of it.

His eyes narrowed in on the first contestant, a young blonde with a nude colored dress. It was a summer dress contest, after all. It didn't take the superpowers of the butterfly miraculous to see her that her confidence was more than skin deep. This designer was far to secure in herself, her hand-crafted purse, and her skills.

Crossing her name off of his list, he felt Marinette shift. The designer delicately threw the dress over the canvas dress form. Gabriel was making notes when he told the girl next to him, "Well? What do you think?"

"M-Me?" Marinette squinted, putting her hand behind her head and smiling slightly, as though it were a shield. "I think your dress is nicely sculptured, and although that silhouette is incredibly flattering on most shapes, the color isn't suited as an off-the-rack design."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, he looked at the dress as well. "You couldn't have said it better myself, Marinette. Thank you. Have a nice day."

The next designer entered, and the next one, as well as the one after that. They were all a confident bunch until the fifth designer walked into the room. He was a small, stout teenager with combed black hair and a dress. To his credit, the dress was lovely, with embroidered robin's egg-blue lace overlying a medium brown chiffon. It was quiet lovely.

The old fashion designer suppressed a slight smile. It was the best designed dress he'd seen all day, and the icing on the cake was that the dress's designer was as nervous as could be. Tearing it apart would be the easiest thing to do. Then the boy would be the perfect akuma.

"This," Gabriel's voice echoed in the high-ceiling room, "Is by far, the worst dress I've seen all day."

The boy staggered back, leaning his hand against the dining room table. "I'm s-sorry?" He stuttered, his face was already read, his forehead was already glowing with sweat.

"I mean, are you really so surprised?" Gabriel's voice was low, "the contrast in this piece is disgusting, and the skirt is to long. The neckline is incredibly square when a majority of the lace has a scalloped hem?"

The feelings in the room were almost overwhelming him. He glanced at Marinette. She was working very hard to squash her feelings of guilt towards helping judge the contest, and the confusion she felt towards her boss, Gabriel. The designer, Pierre, had come in second last year to Marinette, didn't he?

"Marinette? Your thoughts?"

She swallowed, Pierre was a good friend, and they had competed against each other in the past, but he was always friendly. "I find your dress…disappointing. Your design is five years too late, unfortunately."

"And?" Gabriel prodded, just a little bit more. The boy was so close, one more jab from Marinette, and it would be all set and done.

"And!" Marinette's eyes widened, "I think your dress is…h-hideous. Plan and s-simple."

Gabriel smiled, as the designer let himself out.

After several more designers, the last one was finally out.

He glanced at his intern, who hand's were shaking. "You need to understand that this business is cutthroat. You need to intimidate them, they need to fear you, along with your talent. You and the designers out there? You are all the next generation, and it's your job to rise above it all."

Marinette hand's stopped shaking, she looked a him, meeting his ocean-like eyes with hers. "Pierre's dress was the best out of the bunch." She stated, "Shouldn't I give praise where praise is due?"

Gabriel stood, gathering his notebook in his spindly fingers, "Do not praise people for doing what they were supposed to do in the first place. Do not praise mediocrity." With these words, he slipped into his office and waited.

Marinette huffed, and stepped out of the office. "Is there anything else for me, Nathalie?"

"No, nothing, resume your work." She responded, clacking away against her desktop computer.

The young girl slipped into her cozy office. After a few months of working for Gabriel, it was certainly moved in. Tikki popped out of her purse, "Do you think an akuma will attack the office?"

"Yes." She stated, "I'm going to alert Chat Noir. Transform me!"

Ladybug flipped open her communicator, dialing Chat. Somehow, he miraculously answered her, "My lady! Need me to make a house call? The doctor is in!"

"Chat Noir. No." She grimaced, "I suspect that there's going to be an akuma attack."

His ears perked up, "Where? How?"

"Gabriel Agreste is the new Chloe! I swear, keep an eye on him, as I think he will be the target, as well as…" Her voice trailed off, she swallowed. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I—I have to go. I'm at work and I don't think I'll be able to stop the akuma immediately, but I'll be there soon."

He looked at her, studying Ladybug's eyes. Was it, regret? "A-Alright. I'll see you soon." He disconnected first, quickly de-transforming.

If his father was in trouble, he'd have to slip away from piano class, wouldn't he?

Marinette opened the door of her office as soon as the ruckus began, not looking faintly surprised, however, this akuma was calling after her.

"Ah, Marinette! So good of you to finally make an appearance!" A man in a bright orange suit and off-white skin bellowed. "You're going to judge my fashion line!"

Gabriel stood, leaning against a wall. Marinette stared at the multitude of dresses draped over the desks of her coworker's. "What is this? Where is everyone?" She swallowed, glaring, "What did you do?"

"Portfolio turned them into dresses." Gabriel smirked, "That's his name. Portfolio."

She realized that she was two steps away from the stairs. There was nothing to be done, but she glanced at Gabriel, who looked rather disappointed by the whole affair. And who wouldn't be, in his situation?

If Chat Noir was turned into a frilly dress, he'd had no way of figuring out his identity. But, he looked at Marinette, willing her to leave. There was no point anymore in continuing the game.

Portfolio glared, "Well, Marinette? Why don't you be our model? Unless you'd rather be a dress."

She smiled slightly, "How about I do you one better?"

"What?"

"You should have photographic evidence of all these w-wonderful dresses!" She clasped her hands together, "They really are spectacular, but if Chat Noir and Ladybug defeat you, you won't have any recollection of designing these masterpieces!"

"There's a camera in my office." Gabriel pointed out. "Marinette knows where it is."

Portfolio stared at her, and wielded his fabric scissors, pointing at a dress. "If you don't return, I'll rip one of these dresses to shreds."

Her eyes widened, "Right, of course. I'll be back in a minute."

She slipped into Nathalie's office, and then through Gabriel's. "Tikki. Transform me!" She pulled out her yo-yo, and called Chat. No answer. "Fuck." Her eyes glanced back towards the door, thinking about her coworkers.

None of Gabriel's windows opened. They were glass panes. Of course, Ladybug could break one, but Chat Noir would be there soon, so Marinette would just have to wait. De-tranforming, she grabbed the camera and headed out into the main room.

"I—I have the camera. Please, don't hurt anyone!" Marinette said. "I—I can model the dresses. Gabriel can photograph." She grabbed the first dress, and from the business-like nature of it, she knew that she was putting on Nathalie. "I'll step into my office and c-change, okay? Please."

"No." Portfolio startled. "If I let you out of my sight you'll call up one of those precious heroes. You can change here."

Marinette's eyes widened. Gabriel turned his head, away, politely. "A-Alright. If that's what you want."

She turned around as well, facing a tall, glass pane of a window. She began to peel off her jacket, letting it crumple to the floor. Unzipping her pink trousers, she stepped out of those, grimacing at the chill. Gabriel's office was always freezing.

She was down to her bra and panties, when Chat Noir appeared, bursting through the glass.

 _I hate my life,_ she thought, distinctly, trying to cover herself in the Nathalie dress.

Chat Noir was frozen. _Marinette? Holy shit, she's built._ "Well," He joked, "This whole situation is leaving me in _stitches._ "

Gabriel rolled his eyes, still not daring to look over. "Are you dressed, Marinette? Let's get this over with."

Chat Noir stood between Marinette and the akuma, realizing that he'd have to buy time for his lady to show up, "And who are you supposed to be? Valentino? Chanel? Armani? Alexander Mcqueen?" No response, "I can do this all day, I'm educated in my designers. Calvin Klein? Versace? Dior?"

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, _why doesn't he focus on saving the day?_ He glanced over at the black cat, and subsequently, Marinette, who was gathering her clothes, slowly putting them back on.

Portfolio aimed his scissors at Chat, shooting a red light towards him. Chat's baton was drawn, and he deflected it, the beam bouncing against a wall. "Marinette! Go!"

Gabriel watched her break into a sprint, slide to the door, and thrust it open, bolting down the stairs. _So, he knows her, he's interacted with her before?_ He could feel the concern for her radiating off of the leather-clad superhero. _This is new,_ he mused, but Marinette was gone, so now he was left wondering how she felt towards Chat Noir.

"Say, Gabriel?" Chat Noir challenged, "A- _hem,_ Gabriel?" He was dodging the Portfolio's attacks, leaping around desks and sprinting about, knocking over thousands of dollars' worth of computers. "Shouldn't you take cover?"

He knew perfectly well that the akuma's magic would have zero effect on him, but still. "I don't move for anyone. I'm not afraid."

Chat Noir almost hissed, but held back, realizing that he needed to keep focus. Portfolio was closing in on him, driving him against the broken glass where he had originally entered. "Give me your miraculous!"

"Wow. Suddenly, I'm convinced." Chat Noir slid out of the way, trying to keep Portfolio from facing his father, "Yeah, totally, take my miraculous."

Ladybug burst through Chat's pre-shattered window.

"Ladybug, do me a favor. Say 'There's no need for that!'" Chat Noir beamed at her, circumventing another beam of light.

"Nah," Ladybug's yo-yo flicked out towards the fabric scissors of Portfolio. They shears were quickly in her hands, and she snapped the metal apart, "Luckily for me, I know my way around a pair of fabric shears." The butterfly popped out, fluttering lazily towards the window.

The akuma was purified, and all of the employees flashed back into existence, appearing rather confused. Ladybug smiled, and approached Pierre. She helped him up off the ground, and placed the repaired sheers into his hands.

"You were akumatized. I'm sorry for what happened." She told him, genuinely, "I'm assuming that Gabriel Agreste did this to you, but you should know that he's not worth giving up your dream. Don't give up."

She glared at Gabriel, who looked at her with an unconcerned expression, "Thank you for all your help," He stated, "Your services are no longer required."

Narrowing her eyes, she found herself swallowing her pride, and turning on her heels. "Come on, Chat! We're leaving."

He jumped over a stairwell, stopping her in her tracks, "How'd you know about the akuma?"

"I knew there was a contest, Gabriel is a notorious jerk, Chat. It's happened before." She answered, pushing him aside. "Don't be silly."

"Alright…" He waggled his eyebrows, "So, did you win?"

"Win what?"

"The contest?"

"No. I didn't enter." She glanced over her shoulder, finally at a window that they could open. It wasn't a lie, "Till next time, kitty." Ladybug jumped out the window.

* * *

Gabriel stared at the footage of his office, replaying it over and over on his desktop monitor. This was too good to be true.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug." He murmured to himself, glancing at Nooroo, who floated just over his shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Life's a Picnic

"You wanted to see me?"

Gabriel looked up, his son stood in the doorway of his home office. It was so early in the morning, he had his backpack, ready to go to school. "Yes. Have a seat."

Adrien glanced around, but walked towards the desk, sitting in front of it, "Yes?"

"Tell me about Marinette Dupain-Cheng." He looked at him.

"W-what?" He stammered, "She's my classmate and your intern? Surely you know something about her."

 _What is he feeling? Hesitation? Why is he hesitant._ "She's not in trouble." _Still, even saying that hasn't relaxed him._ "She's my protégé. I ask because I want to know who she is to you."

"She's a friend."

"Just a friend?" Gabriel raised his eyebrows. _Something is certainly stirring within him._

Adrien felt his cheeks grow hot. "Y—yes." He felt like his heart was having palpitations. What was his father playing at, exactly?

He leaned back in his office chair, teetering slightly, "I told Nathalie to invite her to dinner tonight," he explained, "The akuma attack took it's toll on the both of us, after all."

 _Well, it was largely your fault,_ he thought. "That's great! I'm glad that you two are becoming good friends."

"Business partners." He corrected, "Nothing more, unless of course, you felt any way about her romantically. In that case," His eyes fell over Adrien, "I would be extremely pleased."

He nodded, "I'm going to be late to school."

"Go, then." Gabriel told him, "Be sure to reflect on what I've told you."

* * *

Marinette slipped out of the bakery, onto the bustling street. She glanced up, seeing Adrien, waiting on the sidewalk. Glancing around, she quickly realized that he must've walked. "No car?" Her heart fluttered slightly.

"I figured we could walk. It's not too far." He told her, not adding that his father asked him to escort her there. Adrien did manage to smile though, and say, "I know it must seem weird to you."

"W-what?" She asked, "Nothings weird! Your dad invited me over for dinner."

Adrien nodded briefly. "Just know that he always has an ulterior motive to everything he does, and he always wants something." He swallowed, knowing exactly what his father wanted.

She glanced at him, "What do you think he wants from me?"

"I'm not entirely sure." He lied, "But I'll tell you this. My father and I haven't had a family dinner in two months."

"Well, Jackady almost attacked him two months ago." She brought her arms around herself, feeling the chill. She wore a flowery green and yellow dress that stopped mid-thigh, and the thing cotton wasn't doing much to shield her from the wind. Her nude heels clicked against the pavement, getting closer and closer to the Agreste Mansion.

Adrien grimaced, "Well, yeah."

"And, you know," Marinette shrugged, "I've been the target of a few akuma attacks now. It really puts life into perspective. I'm sure he just wants a lovely dinner, Adrien. Honestly, not everything is that deep."

He glanced to her. She looked jittery, almost. _Why is she so excited?_ Adrien exhaled, realizing that she was a designer, who, like many, idolized his father. As pleasant and as lovely as she was, the boy had a feeling that it would be a long dinner.

* * *

Nathalie sighed, waiting for Marinette and Adrien to arrive. Wasn't she always waiting for those two? Adrien was almost always late, and Marinette was in high-demand by her boss. Her fingers gripped tighter on the picnic basket. Perhaps she should refold the blanket she had taken from the pantry for them.

She shot an annoyed glance over to the door of Gabriel's office, hoping that he could (somehow) feel her frustration.

The front door opened, it being held by Adrien so that Marinette could make her entrance. Nathalie grimaced, and spoke. "I'm sorry, there's been a change of plans." Her voice always echoed in the spacious great room, it had always grated on her nerves.

Adrien looked confused, while Marinette kept her face neutral. Nathalie smiled slightly, _she's learning an Agreste pokerface. If only Adrien would be so wise._

"I don't understand." Adrien asked, "Where's my father?"

Nathalie handed him the picnic basket, "I regret to say that he's on an important business call with manufactures for the upcoming fall line. Luckily, he had the forethought to tell me, to tell you both, that you should go on a picnic and enjoy the summer weather while you still can."

Adrien felt heat rising to the back of his neck and cheeks. Blushing, he asked, "Did he even intend to have dinner with us?"

"It's not that big of a deal." Marinette suggested, "If you'd like, we can stop at the bakery for pastries." Her voice was cool, her confidence had solidified since school had ended and she started working for his father. On the inside, it was a different story, her adrenaline kicked it, and she wanted to leap into the air. A picnic with Adrien Agreste? It was too good to be true.

He sighed, looking at her, _this won't be so bad,_ he thought. "Do you need a jacket before we go?"

Okay, confidence lost, his jacket? "Y-yes, if you d-don't m-mind."

Smiling briefly, he headed up the stairs. Plagg peaked out of his shirt, "Getting a jacket for a girl?"

"It's not like that, as I've told you before. Friend. Amigo. Comrade. Bro." He opened the door to his room, relishing the few moments he would be able to escape Marinette, not that he didn't enjoy her, he just wasn't going to enjoy the feeling of his father's pressure on his shoulders.

Because, his father had essentially said, "Date Marinette! I approve of her!" in his, demented, fatherly way.

He grabbed a baggy white cardigan, something Gabriel had knitted for him ages ago that he was supposed to grow into. It would match Marinette's dress, at least. It even had nude-colored buttons to match her shoes. Hell, after Gabriel's behavior this morning, Adrien was thinking about just gifting the sweater over to her.

He bounded back down the stairs, holding the knitted thing in his hands. He took the picnic basket from Nathalie, and handed the sweater to Marinette, "Shall we go, then?"

"Sure." She told him, hoping she wasn't too red. Marinette slipped into the cardigan, the sleeves were too long for her arms, but it fit her well enough, stopping just below her hips. It was soft, and worn-in.

Nathalie sighed, "Please be back before sundown."

"Of course." Adrien told her, opening the door for Marinette to pass through. As he left, he glanced back at Nathalie, who was heading into Gabriel's office. Maybe he heard a low chuckling coming from her, maybe he was confusing it with the bustling traffic outside, who knows.

He turned back to her, and was suddenly speechless. She was basking in the evening sunlight, with his sweater, and her dress, and her heels. Adrien swallowed, wondering what she must think of him.

Marinette glanced over to him, "So, which park?"

"How about the one by your house?" He offered.

"G-good idea." She answered. Marinette could feel Tikki in her purse, jumping over herself with joy.

When they arrived at the park, Adrien unfolded the quilt, setting it down onto the grass. He gestured for her to have a seat, when he caught her line of vision and turned around, seeing the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue. He glanced back at her, "You've met Chat a couple times, right?"

"Y-yeah." She replied, "Some of my classmates have been akumatized, one way or another. It's perfectly reasonable that I would know him."

Adrien found her response to be, rehearsed? Mechanical? As though people might've asked her before. "What do you think of him?"

"He's great." She glanced at him, as he started to unpack the basket. "Cheesy, flirtatious, and reckless. The triple-threat of goofball, really."

He handed her one of the sandwiches. The other sandwich, heavy with disgusting cheese, was for him. With a grimace, he took off all the cheese, wrapped it into a napkin, and took a bite out of his sandwich. Still, the taste of camembert cheese lingered on his tongue. "Really? I've heard he's quite charming."

"Oh, don't get me wrong," She laughed, through the bites of her sandwich, "He's a _complete_ gentleman." Her eyes widened, "What about you? Haven't you had your share of run-ins with Ladybug? W-What do you think?"

Smiling slightly, he looked away and up at the statue, trying to casually disguise his blushing, if only for a moment. Adrien looked back at her, catching her gaze in his. Why did her eyes remind her of his lady? "S-She's one of a kind, in all honesty—Of course, so are you. Most people are!"

 _I don't have a crush on Ladybug. I am not in love with Ladybug. I do not want to have a domestic life with Ladybug. Is she buying it?_

"That's kind of you to say. I'm sure she would be quite happy to hear you say that." She blinked, burrowing herself into his sweater. "Adrien. Don't look. There's a photographer to your left."

He reached into the basket, looking for more food, doing everything to avoid looking, "I'm sorry about that. Just ignore him."

"No problem. What did Nathalie pack?"

"Cheese." He told her. "I think it's a practical joke on her part, I swear. There are grapes as well." He grabbed the bunch out of the basket, placing them onto the blanket. "The summer has gone by so quickly."

"Maybe for you." She laughed, plopping a grape between her lips, "Working for your father hasn't exactly made time go by." Marinette brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, "What about you? I don't see you much at the office."

"I'm typically a few stories below you, actually. Modelling, stuff like that. Nathalie has me on a tight schedule, though, so I'm practically in school." Adrien frowned, remembering in the beginning of the summer, when he would come upstairs to Gabriel's office, trying to catch him for lunch.

It was like clockwork, those first couple days. The elevator would ding, Adrien would step out, onto the top floor of his father's building. Marinette would run into him, they'd chat, he'd leave for Gabriel, her boss's office. Nathalie would inform him that he was busy during lunch, and he'd leave. Eventually, he just stopped trying to make sense of his father's schedule.

"That's rough. Though, you're probably going to be well off once we get back to school." She smiled, "All that studying will pay off."

"Oh, most definitely." He answered.

Marinette shot him a sympathetic look, "Still, you should see if he's available for lunch tomorrow."

"What? Why?" Adrien's eyebrows furrowed, his expression was amused.

"Things are slowing down with the fall collection coming together so smoothly." Marinette explained, not adding that she's had lunch with Gabriel every other day for the past month.

* * *

Adrien stepped into Nathalie's office and posed the question he had posed at the beginning of the summer. For the first time, he was ushered through. Peering at the door, he opened it.

Gabriel and Marinette turned, looking at him. "Have you seen the newsstand, today?"

He shook his head, there were three plates on the dining table. Gabriel sat at the head of the table, Marinette in the middle of the long side, and the other plate was for Adrien. He took a seat, and glanced at the magazine that was near Marinette.

Passing it to him, she added, "We're on the cover."

He glanced down, it was a picture of the two of them walking down the sidewalk. Marinette looked flushed, wearing his cardigan as though it were made especially for her. Adrien looked sheepish, with his fluffy hair, and soft smile on his face. The picture really didn't do them justice.

Setting the magazine face down, he stared at his father, "What did you do?"

His father picked up his espresso cup, staring down his son, "Me? It's not what I did. It's what you did."

Narrowing his eyes, he turned to Marinette, "Did you know about this?"

"Look," Gabriel told the two of them, "Is it really so bad that all of Paris thinks you two are dating?"

"Well for one thing," Marinette tersely answered, "it's not true." Her insides were swimming, yes, the idea of dating Adrien Agreste was a dream come true, but not like this.

Adrien stared down at his plate, the vegetable penne would get cold soon. "And we're just friends. You staged those pictures. You tipped off some paparazzi, then had a publicist approve the right photographs."

"I was about to make my point." He turned to Marinette, giving her a sweet smile, "Mari, darling, do you know how I got famous, originally?"

She blinked, "You graduated top of your class at design school, you rose to stardom in the late 90s, your collections were foreward and—"

He cut her off, "No. Adrien, do you have a guess?"

"Probably something to do with lying and cunning."

"Also, no." He glanced at the portrait of his wife, "Being an excellent designer wasn't enough, Marinette. It's never enough."

"It was enough for you." She murmured, grasping a teacup in her hands, she brought it up to her lips, drinking it. Maybe that would quell the shaping.

"Tell me, who modeled a majority of my collections in the late 1990s?"

"Celine Agreste." She said almost automatically, before setting her cup down with force. It was the truth, but she still felt like apologizing.

She shot a look at Adrien. He was trying to suppress his anger, the fire in his eyes, the sharpness of his tongue. He kept it at bay.

Gabriel looked back at her, "You can say her name. It's alright. But yes. My wife." His deep blue eyes flitted over to Adrien, "Did you research her career as well?"

"I—No. Sorry, I didn't." Marinette answered, "I don't know much beyond her being a model." _Good,_ she thought, _no past tense verbs. Don't remind them that she is dead._

Adrien sighed, "Are we done here? We all know who she was. What does she have to do with what's going on now?"

 _Oh, you're a disappointment._ He looked back at Marinette, "What I'm telling you, is that no one started paying attention to me until I started dating a supermodel."

"We're. Not. Dating." Adrien answered for her, "Secondly, Marinette's designs outdo yours. She's gotten attention and recognition without someone like me associated with her."

"You say that." Gabriel handed Marinette a piece of paper. "I need you to sign this."

She glanced over the sheet of paper, while fishing a pen out of her pocket, "I—I don't understand. Dress orders?" She peeled off the check, stapled to the front. That was a lot of money.

"Orders are coming by the minute, inevitably," He smirked, " _Someone_ informed the press that you work for my company. Naturally, you're getting a significant cut of the profits, as it's your design."

Marinette sighed, and folded the contract, putting it in an inner pocket of her blazer. "I'll look it over and get back to you tomorrow." She replied, "Even so, I don't want my success to be in anyone's shadow."

Gabriel nodded, understanding. Still, he could feel just how much Marinette loved his son. Why shouldn't he give her this? It would bring Ladybug that much closer, and all the jealous girls in France? That would bring in plenty of akumas to target her. "I'm not standing in anyone's shadow. Adrien wants you to be successful, as well," He looked at Adrien, " _don't you?_ "

He sighed, this was checkmate. "Marinette, listen, we can pretend—"

"No." She stood, pulling out her chair. "I'm not going to lie about dating anyone. It's messy. If you wan to date me, ask me out, plain and simple." She looked at Gabriel, "I don't understand how you can be so passive when it comes to your son's life."

"But I'm not." He answered, "I consider you to be the most suited for Adrien."

"Adrien isn't an object, Monsieur Agreste." Marinette stood. "I appreciate your efforts, however. I'll think about the contract. Enjoy lunch." With this, she exited.

Gabriel sipped his espresso, relishing in the sweet caffeine. "Well, Adrien, you have a lot to think about."

He glanced at his watch, he'd have to find an akuma soon, so that by the time Marinette left the office for the day, it'd be at her doorstep.

Adrien stabbed at the noodles with his fork, he had lost his appetite. "I'm not going to date her. She'll take the world by storm without me." He swallowed, "It's not up for discussion."

"Sure." Gabriel flashed him a smile, "But, I hope you know, that you're going to be her escort to every company affair."

"Within the next week?" Adrien shook his head, almost daring to laugh, "We have school starting soon, Father."

"Don't get confused, Adrien, she's on my invite list."

* * *

"I am Miss Future Agreste!" A woman with deep yellow skin and a white wedding dress shouted down at Marinette.

She looked around, realizing that a bunch of people had been turned into yellow zombie-like bridesmaids, and they were all closing in on her. Turning around, she ran back into the building before she could get zapped by the bouquet Miss Future Agreste wielded.

Miss Future Agreste flew inside, zapping her coworkers. Marinette yelped, trying to outrun her. She needed to get away where she could transform without her. Tikki had told her that if she transformed in front of an akuma, it was the same as transforming in front of Hawkmoth himself.

 _Two akuma's in a week, doesn't he have a work schedule?_ She thought bitterly, stuffing herself into a utility closet and locking it. Looking up, she pushed a ceiling tile open, and climbed up.

She crawled a bit further away, and pulled Tikki out, "Transform me!"

In a red light, she was Ladybug. Her yo-yo was buzzing, she peaked at it.

"My lady! There's an akuma at the Agreste office building again." He shot her a wry smile, in between dodging yellow light, "You could say we have a bridezilla on our hands. Where are you? Why is it so dark?"

"It's a long story, Chat." Ladybug answered, "Get her back outside, I'll be there in a minute."

"Gotcha, lovebug!" With that he was off, and she could hear the kitty taunting her to come back outside.

She sighed, punching through a ceiling tile and landing feet first. Actually, wait, no. What was that under her, she looked down, realizing she had falling right on top of Gabriel Agreste. She moved quickly, "Oh my, excuse me!"

Ladybug held out her hand, and he glanced up at her, turning up his charm factor. _This whole 'pretending I'm not the supervillian' thing is grinding on my last nerve._ "Oh, that's alright, Ladybug." He replied sweetly, "I'm just glad that you're here to help out my employees. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."

"Yeah," She called back to him, heading out the door, "Stop akumatizing people!"

Gabriel did his best to suppress laughter, but he as soon as he stepped into the elevator back to the top floor, he lost it.

After the fight, Ladybug fist-bumped Chat Noir, but there was something burrowing deep within the pit of her stomach. He led her to a nearby rooftop, "Are you alright, my lady?"

She glanced at him, exhaling slightly, "It's been a trying week, kitty, with the akumas."

He glanced around, suddenly wary, "Have you noticed that the past two akumas were centered around Gabriel Agreste's office?"

Ladybug looked at him, but her miraculous began to beep. "I have to go. But yes. I have. We'll add his office to our respective patrol routes, okay?" She turned, about to leave and head home. There was no way in hell she was going back to that office. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah." He answered, turning to head down the fire escape on the roof. There was something weird too, that he didn't want to mention.

Marinette being the target of two separate attacks, for one thing. It would've been nothing if both akuma attacks were both due to the perception that she's dating Adrien, that would be solved rather quickly. But two separate reasons in the same week?

* * *

Marinette sat on the patio, stretching her legs on the balcony, when she noticed a small, black panther bouncing across rooftops, heading in her direction. She opened the door of her room, letting Tikki inside to hide. _Now, what could he want?_

He landed on her balcony, "Marinette, it's good to see you." He glanced her up and down. "Going for a night run?"

She looked down at her athletic shorts and tank. "Oh! No, I just…do yoga before bed."

"Oh, well," Chat Noir, winked at her, hopping off the ledge and in front of her. He took her hand and kissed it gently, "I can always appreciate a girl who's flexible."

Marinette smiled slightly, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

He looked up, "The last two akuma attacks. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Ah, Chat, it's no big deal." She shrugged, "Besides, it's not like I directly caused any of it."

Sighing, he took a step back, "I just want to make sure that you're safe, Marinette. I care deeply about all the citizens of Paris." _I just happen to care about you very deeply because you are my classmate and my fake-girlfriend._

She nodded, taking a step forward and embracing him. He staggered for a second, confused, and she told him, "I promise, I'm stronger than I look. Thank you for thinking of me."

Chat Noir placed his arms around her, relaxing, "I read the Ladyblog regularly. If you need me, just post there, alright?"

Marinette pulled away, nodding. "Thanks, Chat. Are you going on patrol?"

"Yeah. I'm meeting up with Ladybug." He told her, jumping onto her ledge, "'til next time, Marinette!"

She smiled slightly, and headed back inside to transform and join him on patrol.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: He Knows

Marinette sat on the cool cement, her hands tied to the pipe behind her. She almost laughed if it weren't for fear, thinking that the curse was broken. Last week, Madame Bustier was akumatized and terrorized the entire classroom, and she thought that akumas targeting her was just a fluke. Three akumas in less than three days.

"What did I do to you?"

Typewriter sat at a small table in the abandoned warehouse, clacking away at typewriter. "Oh? Nothing at all. I was just informed that if I wanted Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous, I should kidnap someone near your school." The typewriter dinged, and he pushed it over. "Besides, isn't this relaxing, listening to a typewriter? Once I get those miraculous stones, I'm going to lay waste to the jerk who broke my typewriter."

His skin was covered in typeface, his suit a metallic black. Anything he wrote into his typewriter became true. Including, but not limited to –

 _Girl from Collège Françoise Dupont appears in the room with Typewriter, tied to a metal pipe, with no means of escape._

 _A post on the Ladyblog reads, "Ladybug and Chat Noir must give up their miraculous stones to Typewriter in order to rescue Marinette Dupain-Cheng, by midnight."_

Of course, nothing he wrote mentioned Tikki, who was trying to untie her hands from behind her back. But it was of little use, Marinette couldn't escape herself, she'd have to be rescued. Luckily, Typewriter had the power of manifestation, and although he _could_ in theory force Chat Noir to appear, he had already tried to get Ladybug to appear, and it had mysteriously failed repeatedly.

"Tikki." She murmured, "I don't know if you can do this, but you need to tell Chat's kwami that he can't transform until he's physically in the building." Marinette shut her eyes, forcing the words out of her mouth, "Hell, you can escape. Find Chat Noir and tell him yourself, come up with a reason why Ladybug can't be there."

"No." Tikki answered, "You can transform if you absolutely need to."

Letting out a low sigh, she spoke back, trying to be as quiet as she could. "Call Alya on my phone. You don't have to say a word. Just mute her. She should be able to forward my location to the police."

 _Hell, I'm almost tempted to call Gabriel,_ she thought. Still, Tikki ducked into Marinette's purse. "She answered!"

"So, Typewriter. Where are we anyway?" Marinette cooed. "I bet you could describe it so eloquently. You're a skilled writer."

"A warehouse along the south side of the Sienne." He answered.

"A warehouse along the south side of the Sienne?" She asked, trying to sound alluring, trying to sound interested in a man who could take her miraculous. "Would that be the east or west?"

"West."

"West." Marinette repeated, "The view must be fantastic."

A purple butterfly appeared over Typewriter's face, and suddenly, he glared at Marinette. "Where's your cell phone?"

Luckily, Tikki took the phone, and flew out of sight. "I don't know," Marinette lied. "I was just curious."

The purple butterfly was still over his face, "Tell me, girl."

Her entire body stiffened, she knew exactly who was speaking to her.

"Who did you call?" He purred, "I won't hurt you, sweetheart. We all want to get out of this situation alive. Let's help each other."

She wouldn't allow herself to relax. Yes, he was terrifying. Hawkmoth was the scariest man in all of Paris, but she understood why people allowed themselves to get akumatized. He was smooth, and she could hear the charm. "I—I c—called Gabriel Agreste, sir." _I can't be to confident._ "I—I'm sorry." She felt Tikki place the phone back into her purse, and slipped into the back of her blazer to hide.

Typewriter, still possessed as Hawkmoth, walked over to her. In a fluid motion, he placed his hand on her shoulder and crouched down to her purse, taking out the phone. It was indeed dialed to Gabriel's phone.

 _Thank god, it went to voicemail._ _Thank god for Tikki._

"W-Wait." Typewriter grasped her phone in his hand, he turned back, the purple mask still over his face, Marinette pleaded, "Please, let me at least call my parents. I'm sure they're worried. Please."

"No." He replied, coldly, "You should've called them instead of that designer."

She didn't let her relief show, in fact, she squashed it down into a box and put it in the corner. "Surely, don't you have children? What if it was your child missing? Wouldn't you want—"

" _You_ have no idea what I want for my son." Hawkmoth snapped, before pulling back, remembering himself. Oh, how he loathed when people told him how to parent.

"One son?" Marinette asked, daring to add, "If you let me go, we'll keep that between us, hmm?"

The purple mask disappeared, and Typewriter glanced around, and his eyes fell to the phone, looking rather confused.

* * *

"I don't think you should transform, kid." Plagg told him. "Sorry, but it if that classmate of yours could just poof out of thin air and be gone, we don't want Chat to do the same."

Adrien looked at his reflection in the bathroom. Alya and Nino were waiting for him in the library. "So I have to put Alya and Nino at risk to preserve my identity?"

"Yeah, kid." Plagg answered.

 _Fine,_ Adrien thought. He slipped out of the bathroom, and headed back towards the library.

Alya was on edge, and Nino was trying his best to calm her down as she rapidly typed into her laptop. Searching for a warehouse south of the Sienne in the West of Paris. Her eyes were swollen from tears, and her patience was gone.

"Did you find anything?" Adrien asked gently, sitting back down.

Alya put her head between her knees in response, Nino rubbed her back in slow circles and answered, "Chat Noir and Ladybug haven't been spotted yet, and Chat Noir hasn't responded to the Ladyblog. There are so many warehouses."

He swallowed, "I'm sure wherever they are, they're working on it."

"What do you know? For all we know Marinette could be hurt, or cold, or scared. It's Marinette. She should be their top priority!" Her fist came down to the table.

"How's tracking down her location going?" When Marinette called, Alya immediately plugged her phone into her computer, using an odd, foreign program to track down her location.

She glanced at her screen, the program was finally complete. "I have a two-mile radius." She told them. "Four warehouses. I say we go."

Adrien nodded. "We should take my car. I can call my driver."

Pretty soon, the three of them were piled into the backseat of the Agreste famile. Gorilla locked his eyes on Adrien's. They both knew that he was missing a photoshoot.

His phone rang, and he stared at the caller ID for a half a second before answering, "Father?"

"You're late." He stated, "You need to be in my office in five minutes."

"I'm sorry, father," Adrien stated, "My _girlfriend_ is missing. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You might remember her? She's my top priority at the moment. I'll talk to you later when I know more." He hung promptly, before Gabriel had a chance to response.

He looked over at Nino and Ayla. "You told us it wasn't true! Marinette said it wasn't true!" Alya accused him.

Adrien shot them a sly look, "My father really wants it to be true, though, so, for now, I don't have a problem throwing it back in his face."

"Dude. You're clueless." Nino snorted.

"What?" He whirled at his best friend.

"We're here." Alya stated. She sat in the middle, and essentially climbed over Nino to get out of the car. She stood outside the warehouse, waiting for the two of them.

Adrien clambered out, feeling Plagg squirming in his shirt. Gorilla drove off, shooting him a wary look, but ultimately letting it be. They were in front of the first building. The windows were boarded up. Nino grabbed Alya's wrist as she barged forward.

"We need to do this together." He told her. "You can't go in there alone."

Meanwhile, Adrien stepped ahead of them, into the alley. "I got this, guys." He peeled off his button up, wearing just his t-shirt and jeans. Wrapping the cloth around his fist, he punched a (conveniently) not-boarded up window. The glass shattered immediately, and he unhitched the locking mechanism. He slid the window open, and looked back at his friends. _Fuck._

"That was really automatic." Ayla said, holding her camera. "Does the posh Adrien Agreste have experience breaking-and-entering?"

He looked sheepishly at the camera, and lied, "No. But if Marinette's involved, I'm dedicated." Swallowing, he unwrapped his fist, shaking out the shards of glass, "Be careful, guys, there's broken glass. And is that a live stream? If Hawkmoth knows what we're doing, he'll have the akuma move her."

Nino shook his head, "The stream is delayed by one hour."

"Great." Adrien climbed through the window, "We need to be quiet though. You can't narrate."

"Right." Ayla replied, sending him a salute. "Don't worry, I know what to do when the time comes."

He waited for them to get through the window, but Plagg did manage to peak out, "The akuma is here. The next room. Go up the stairs with those two and you'll see them below."

"Can you sense Ladybug?" He turned away, heading towards the center of the room, "Where is she?"

"Well, obviously." Plagg answered, the concern in his voice gone, burrowing back into his shirt.

Alya and Nino were already by the stairwell. Adrien followed them, and after three flights of stairs, Plagg bit him, and he knew which door they needed to go through.

"We should start at the top and work our way down." Alya told him, "It'll be more efficient that way."

"I—I know." Adrien told her, holding the doorknob, "But I hear something coming out of this door." That part was true, there was some sort of clacking, non-stop.

He opened the door, which lead to an overhanding catwalk, held up by suspension cables. Holding up his finger to his mouth, he mouthed, "Marinette is here."

They headed to the middle of the bridge, looking down on an akuma pounding away at a golden typewriter. Nearby, Marinette sat, her legs splayed on the concrete casually, tied behind her back to a metal pip, jutting out of a large column.

Adrien was visibly relaxed, he looked at Alya, who was still recording, "I'm going to go back outside and phone the police," he whispered, "You both stay here. Don't move."

He moved quickly, bounding down the stairs, "Plagg, transform me!"

His clawed fingered gloves dug into his palms. Chat Noir stood at a door on the first floor in the alleyway. He looked at his baton. Ladybug hadn't answered yet.

Opening the door, he hoped for a smidgen of luck. If this akuma didn't believe him, he wouldn't be able to get Marinette out. Still, he came prepared.

"Well, this is novel." He quipped.

"Oh, Chat Noir, how nice of you to stop by." Typewriter stood. "Where's Ladybug?"

He gulped, and revealed two polka-dottaed stud earrings. Perfect dupes. "I have her miraculous stones. She couldn't face you, after all." Chat Noir took several steps forward, closer to Marinette. You can have these, and then we'll let Marinette go, and I'll give you my miraculous. Fair and square."

A purple butterfly appeared over his face, and Typewriter narrowed his eyes at the black cat. "You're lying."

"Plot twist." Chat Noir threw the earrings in the air, aiming them at the akuma. "Only one way to find out!"

Typewriter took the bait, and Chat Noir leaned down, swiping the ropes that held Marinette down. He scooped her out, and ran out the door.

Busting the door open, he carried her wedding-style. Using his baton, and brought her to the roof. "Sorry, Marinette. We're gonna hop a couple roofs to get you away from that monster."

She nodded, burying her head into his shoulder, "Thank you for coming."

"Anytime, Princess." He told her. "Is this far enough? Do you feel safe?"

"Y-yeah." Marinette told him, not mentioning that she didn't even have her phone on her. "You should head back. I saw my friends up on overhead walkways."

Chat Noir nodded, "At some point, we're going to have a discussion about you and akumas. I'll see you soon, Princess."

Marinette didn't wait long, "Tikki, transform me!"

Her entrance was through a glass window, shattering the large industrial window. Luckily, she aimed correctly, landing on the golden typewriter that the akuma had left unoccupied. The butterfly popped up, and she caught it in her yo-yo.

Purifying it, she smiled, at the awestruck Chat Noir, "Bye bye, petit papilllion!"

He ran to her, lifting her by the waist, and getting her off the desk. Her hands went to her shoulders for support. Laughing, she was finally happy to feel safe, even in his arms.

"I was so worried about you." He murmured, when her feet finally reached the ground. "Where were you?"

"There's something we need to talk about during patrol tonight." She pointed to Alya and Nino, who filmed above them, "Now's not the time."

He glanced up, "I have to find Marinette. I left her—"

"I'll do it." She told him, "There's something I have to talk to her about."

Chat's skin prickled. Was there something odd about Marinette and Ladybug even having a discussion? They seemed like polar opposites. "Alright." He wished she was more present, but she seemed out of it.

Waving up to Ayla and Nino, she took aimed her yo-yo, leaving out the way she came.

* * *

Marinette sat on her balcony, waiting, "Do think he'll come?"

Tikki nodded, "Chat Noir always keeps his promises."

"Right." She headed inside, resigning herself to wait. In truth, she was dreading when he would come for her.

Still, she was exhausted. Marinette didn't let onto the fact that she hadn't slept in a few days. Her bed was too comfortable.

Tikki jostled her awake, whispering to her, "Chat Noir is here!"

Leaping out of bed, she realized that the light was still on. Chat's back was turned politely, waiting for her to open the door.

She glanced instinctively towards her desk, until she remembered that she had taken down Adrien's pictures a month ago. They were in a small box in her closet, close to her sewing supplies. Marinette sighed, and headed towards the door. Opening it, she apologized, "I fell asleep."

"Have you been sleeping alright?" His eyes scanned over the bags under her eyes, the dryness of her lips, her pale skin. How had he not noticed before? Adrien saw her every single day at school.

Marinette shook her head, "It's been, trying, to say the least." She stared down at her hands, sitting on her bad. They shook. "I've been on edge. What I something were to happen to me? My family?"

"I… I won't let that happen." Chat Noir promised, taking her hands, hoping to quell her trembling. "I promise, Mari, I'll keep you safe." He sighed, "I want to make sure that you wouldn't get akumatized yourself. I know this is frustrating."

"I'll be okay." She told him, "I've always been level-headed." There was a comfortable lapse in the conversation, but the girl was fidgety, "You should go, though, Ladybug is probably waiting for you."

"Right." He stood, hoping she wouldn't notice his blushing. "You should get some sleep."

She stood, and embraced him, and his arms were around her automatically. He kissed her foreheard gently, and smoothed her bedhead. "Thank you so much, Chat. I don't know what I'd do without you." Marinette murmured.

"No problem, Princess." With these words, he was gone.

When he found Ladybug, she was sitting on a steal beam of the Eiffel tower. "Ladybug?"

 _She's sobbing,_ he realized. "My lady, what's wrong? Talk to me."

Ladybug glanced up to Chat Noir, his face glowing in the midnight, "I—I think Hawkmoth knows my secret identity, Chat." She stood up, climbing to the observation deck. Luckily, it was after hours. She stood, and waited for him to come inside.

He stared at her, "What do you mean, how did he find out? How do you know that he knows?"

Thinking carefully, the superheroine answered, "I'm not sure how he found out. He's been dropping hints." Ladybug exhaled, "I'm going to take a break, and find out the secret identity of Hawkmoth with Marinette."

Chat's eyebrows furrowed, "What? What about akumas?"

"If there's an akuma, I'll come if I can." She explained, "It's temporary until I discover who Hawkmoth is."

"So, what?" Chat slouched, "You don't want to do field work because he knows your identity."

"Chat—" She started.

"No. You're supposed to be fearless. You're supposed to be Ladybug."

Ladybug looked at him, "What's gonna happen when you fall under an akuma's control, then? What if you attack my family? What if you attack me while I'm a civilian?" Her hands gripped her forearms. "My family is in danger because of me. My friends are in danger because of me. Marinette is in danger _because. Of. Me._ "

He watched her eyes well up with tears, and smiled, faintly, "Well, that's a good point. Your priority should be your family and friends. As for Marinette, however…"

"What about her?" She blinked rapidly, suddenly intrigued.

"Leave her to me." Chat Noir asked, "She and I are friends as well, and she's been having a rough couple of nights and I promised her that I would keep her safe." He left out the part about his heart beating faster when he saw her, and the fact that he was also pretending to date her to get out of modelling for his father.

Ladybug agreed, "I guess, I'll be off then. I'll see you soon, I'm sure."

"I'm going to get better, Ladybug." He swore to her, "There's going to come a day when you're not going to have to worry about me losing to an akuma."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: To Catch a Butterfly

Adrien sat next to Marinette, eating their respective lunches on the steps of their school. He glanced at her, "I don't know if you heard about this or not, but I wanted to apologize anyway."

"For what?"

"The other day, Alya, Nino, and I went looking for you, and I missed a photoshoot." He saw her shocked expression, "It's all fine now, it was rescheduled. But! My father called me when I was late and I told him that…" He cleared his throat.

Marinette's eyes narrowed, "Your girlfriend was missing and that that was the more important thing? Gabriel congratulated me after concluding our business call."

Adrien almost choked on his sandwich. "C-Congratulated?"

"Playful admonishing." She corrected.

He cleared his throat, "I am sorry though, for telling him that we were dating. It's not fair to you."

Smiling, turned to him, and promptly felt her heart breaking. "To be honest, Adrien, I'm not upset about that. I like you, truly, and if telling him that we're dating makes him a little less harsh to you, that's fine and good."

"There's a 'but' coming, right?"

"R-right." Marinette answered. "I've had a lot of akumas after me, and I'm doing what I can to keep them away. Hell, I'm even being nicer to Chloe. W-what I'm trying to say is that a lot of girls like you," _myself included,_ "And if I were to date you, I would put myself at an even higher risk."

Adrien, too, felt his heart sinking, "Marinette, I wouldn't want to do anything to hurt you. I'll tell my father that it wasn't true."

She nodded slightly, and stood. "We should get back to class soon."

He smiled, and his eyebrows furrowed involuntary, and in a second, there was a large crashing noise several blocks away. Marinette whirled towards the noise, holding herself back, gripping the sides edge of the stairs.

"We should get you inside." He told her. Akumas, a majority of the people knew that she was the one most akumas went after. "You're essentially Lois Lane at this point."

Marinette smiled, but wielded a camera from her purse, "Actually. I was going to get footage of the whole ordeal for Ladyblog. I'll wait here." She stood, heading towards the scene.

"No, wait." Adrien's adrenaline was up, "What if something happened?"

She froze in her tracks, and turned around, looking at him, "What hasn't happened to me? Every week I'm a target. I'm always running." She pressed record, "I heard that back in the day, Hawkmoth was a sucker for cameras."

"What are you doing?"

Standing directly in front of him, several feet away, she shouted his name, "Hawkmoth! I know you can hear me!"

The akuma landed in front of Marinette, a woman with gold kin in an elegant black evening dress, and a brown fur coverlet. The purple butterfly was over her eyes. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Adrien stood, and ran over to her, shielding her, "Leave her alone!"

The girl's eyes widened, "Didn't someone teach you manners?"

Marinette moved him aside, "I wanted to talk to you." She pointed at the camera, "I'm starting a blog dedicated to finding your secret identity. Any hints?"

"Oh well," Hawkmoth pursed his lips, matter-of-factly stating, "The last girl who found out who I was ended up disappearing."

Her mind was racing, "And who was that?"

Adrien's scowled, "Marinette, you have to go." He grabbed her forearm, "He's a monster."

Hawkmoth glanced at him, "The opinions of vapid models don't concern me."

"We're leaving. Now." Adrien grabbed her wrist, intending to put her in a taxi. _Vapid model? Does he know me?_

Marinette glared at Hawkmoth one last time, "Fine. Do me a favor and leave me alone this one? I have an exam in two hours and really can't afford to waste time."

The butterfly over the akuma's face disappeared. Adrien looked back, as she aimed a silver, second place trophy at Marinette.

"Watch out!" Adrien dived in front of her.

When the silver beam almost hit him, the purple butterfly flashed across the akuma's face, stopping the golden beam in it's tracks. When the butterfly outline disappeared, the akuma doubled over, onto herself, choking slightly, it's eyes screwed shut.

Marinette dragged him away, heading back towards the school and through the doors. "What was that?"

"I have no idea." Adrien answered. "We should separate, though, I think that actress is mad at the both of us now." As much as it pained him to let her out of his sight, he also knew that Chat Noir was needed.

She nodded, "Good idea."

Adrien ran into a utility closet, and Plagg popped out lazily, "You know, your concern for that girl is so romantic it makes me want to puke."

"Can you transform me?"

"I don't know, I wanted to comment about Hawkmoth pulling that little stunt today." He looked at his ward lazily, his cat eyes glazed over.

He looked back at the tiny kwami, "I'm just mad that Marinette called him over here."

The kwami's jaw dropped before him, but before he could sputter out another word, Adrien told him to transform.

Ladybug was in the courtyard of the school, dodging the golden beams that turned his classmates into golden statues, frozen in time. Chat saw her, excited, until she used Lucky Charm. _Great, she'll leave soon._

A small red and black-spotted trophy? Her eyes widened, "Aye, Madame Academy! I want to give you an award."

"Oh really?" She snarled, "And what would I want with an award from you?"

"It's an outstanding actor award." Ladybug promised, "Only the best actors get these."

Chat popped up the stairs, and, using his baton, he dove towards Madame Academy. He crashed into her, knocking the akumatized object, the silver trophy, into the air. At least the akuma was distracted, or else he'd be very strange looking statue.

The trophy shattered, and Ladybug caught the akuma in a graceful throw. Purified, and everything was back to normal.

Chat Noir hopped off the actress, and held a hand out for her, "Well, I've heard that being akumatized does wonders for your career."

Ladybug walked over to him, smiling from ear-to-ear. "I have good news, Chat Noir."

"What, what is it?" His eyes perked up. "Do you know so soon?"

"Oh, it's only been a few days, calm down." She answered, "I'm getting closer though. I have a running list."

* * *

Marinette stood in Gabriel's studio, a space in the basement that had plenty of mirrors. He had explained to her that it was once a gym that his wife used before her accident, and was converted to his art space.

She was buttoning the dress shirt a men's dressform, a white affair with light blue embroidery. She slipped on the suit jacket, adjusting the center back. She pulled the dress shirt sleeves through the sleeves of the jacket, and proceed to role them up delicately, until they were quartered over the sleeves of the jacket.

Sitting down next to Gabriel, she glanced over to him, "I think it could take Paris by storm."

Gabriel leaned back. "We should find Adrien. Would your garment fit him?"

 _Like a glove,_ she thought, not mentioning that she swiped his measurements during the first week of her internship. "I can text him."

 _M – Hey! Your dad and I are going over this design. Could you come down to the basement of the Agreste mansion?_

Chat Noir detransformed, looking at his phone. "Fuck." Why were they spending time together?

 _A – Yeah, I'll be there soon._

Adrien walked into his father's studio, Marinette and Gabriel were chatting quietly. He wore a white undershirt, and well fitting jeans. Nothing too severe. He glanced at the dress form. "This, right?"

Gabriel nodded, _something tells me this is going to fit him perfectly._

Marinette popped up, batting Adrien away from her masterpiece, she took the garments off the form, unbuttoning the dress shirt and unrolling the sleeves. Taking off the suit jacket, she handed him the dress shirt, and he obliged.

"The advantage of the embroidery is that it will make the fabric wrinkle less." She told Gabriel.

He replied, "Except that a tailor could accidently rip the embroider if someone brings in the shirt. At the price we'd sell it for, a majority of our customers would get tailoring."

"I'm sure there's something we can do." Marinette replied, rolling the sleeves over Adrien's muscled forearms. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "Reinforcing satin stitches."

"That adds bulk to a well-fitting garment." He responded. _She's in love with him. This will be easy._

His memories flashed back to Volpina, and her willingness to give up her miraculous in exchange for Adrien's life. Gabriel felt a surge of happiness, knowing that someone else was trying to protect his son.

"Where are your pins, Monsieur Agreste?"

"Please, just call me Gabriel." He responded. "The armoire should have pins in the first drawer."

Adrien swallowed, _first name basis, fabulous._

She traipsed over to the wooden armoire, opening the drawer. "Christ, you have these pins monogramed."

"No he doesn't." Adrien answered almost amused. He looked at his father, who shrugged.

Gabriel actually was smirking, "For a year Celine bought me monogrammed sewing supplies as a joke. It was iconic." He glanced at Adrien, "I complained about monogrammed towels once."

"Sounds like something a stubborn girl would do." Adrien replied, glancing over at Marinette. "Right, Marinette?"

Her soft feet padded behind him, and her fingers pinched back part of the fabric, pinning it into place. "Is the hemline too long?

The old designer shook his head, "No, It's fine. If Adrien wore skinnier jeans in a darker wash, the look would be complete."

The young model blushed, "I—I don't wear skinny jeans normally, so I don't have a pair in my closet."

Marinette took a step back from him, staring him up and down. "Well, what do you think, Gabriel?"

"I think it's worth adding to our guerilla collection."

Adrien pursed his lips, confused, "Guerilla?"

She nodded, "The dress I wore when we went on that picnic sold so well that we're going to continue that business model."

Gabriel stared at him, "Of course, you'll be involved as well."

He glanced between the two of them, "What? No. I do editorials. I do runway. I do photoshoots and magazine interviews. You cannot monopolize my wardrobe outside of work."

Marinette shook her head, "No, no, we're attending the Mayor's ball, remember?"

" _We?_ " Adrien answered, "How'd you get an invite?" He didn't know why he was asking, the boy already knew.

Gabriel smirked, "You have a plus one, Adrien." He stood, "Besides, your friend and I made a deal."

"I'm wearing one of Gabriel's fall collection dresses." She explained, "And you're wearing this, my design."

He tilted his head toward her, trying to understand her expression. She looked happy. Adrien wanted her happy. "Alright. That's fine. What are you wearing? What does the dress look like?"

Gabriel gestured to the fabric draped over his sewing machine. "It's coming along." He stood, "I'm going to work on it now, and you both know that I work in solitude. So—" He held out his hand, and Marinette shook it politely, "—Have a lovely afternoon, Marinette. Try not to get in harm's way."

"I'll walk you home." Adrien offered jokingly.

Marinette's eyes twitched, Gabriel studied her. _What is she feeling? She wants to know something._ "Of course." She answered, "I'd appreciate it. You to, G-Gabriel."

She walked down the sidewalk with Adrien. "I w-wanted to ask you something."

"Listen—about the ball—"

"No. About the other day. With that Madame Academy akuma." She stated.

He stiffed slightly, and stopped in his tracks. Marinette slowed down, and looked back at him. "Marinette, that whole ordeal was terrifying. What you did was reckless."

Feeling her heart swell slightly, she squashed her feelings, "Okay. I'm going to ask you something, and you need to promise that you won't get mad at me. Okay?"

"I couldn't be mad at you, even if I tried." He answered wholeheartedly.

"Do you know Hawkmoth? Does he know you?" Marinette felt her mind going at a mile a minute. "Because Madame Academy almost hit you before being possessed by that man and she looked as though she were choking because of it."

Adrien felt a bead of sweat forming on his brow, placed his hand on the back of his neck, ruffling his hair. "I've been subject to attacks, too, you know. Darkblade, Pixelator, to name a few." He didn't mention all of the times he was attacked and turned evil as Chat Noir, of course.

"But it's not as though Hawkmoth was possessing the akuma right when it happened." She explained, "He was there right before, and he stopped possessing her, made it clear that the conversation was over, and then as soon as you were about to be a statue, he was back."

He shook his head, "No, I don't know him. I'm sorry."

Marinette arrived at the backer, and turned towards him, "Thank you for walking me home, Adrien."

"Sure thing." He answered, his voice soft, "Mari, whatever's between us, I want you to know that I'm here for you." Adrien's eyes fell to her blue eyes, and he cleared his throat, "I'm doing my best at keeping my distance for your sake, though, but I'm here."

She nodded, "Adrien, what did I do to deserve you?"

His hand brushed hers, lightly, secretly, "You were you, Marinette." Perhaps no one would see, he glanced around, he listened for the familiar clicking of cameras. "When things die down between you and Hawkmoth, we should go out—"

"Stop." Her eyes began to threaten tears. Her voice cracked, "I don't know when things will die down. If we talk in what-ifs, it'll only end with someone's heart getting broken." She glanced to the side, and gestured him back into a secluded alleyway, "Besides, I need to be honest with you."

Adrien leaned against the brick wall of the bakery, "What?"

"T-There's something else you should know." Marinette spoke. "It's the reason Hawkmoth has been targeting me so much."

His eyes widened, "Marinette…"

"It's Chat Noir." She lied through her teeth. "We hang out all the time before and after his patrols and it's painfully obvious that he likes me. Hawkmoth…he found out."

Everything inside of him felt so twisted up. He looked away from her, _it's all my fault?_ He thought. "I didn't realize that you were dating him," Adrien lied. Of course he knew, he made a conscious choice that if he couldn't date this girl as Adrien, he'd date her as Chat Noir. "I didn't realize that he was the cause of all of this. I…I'm sorry if I overstepped my boundaries with you."

Marinette inhaled, "It's fine. If Hawkmoth thinks that you and I are something, maybe he'll also think that Chat Noir and I are nothing."

"Are you something?"

"What?"

"Are you two together?"

She glanced away for a second, thinking long and hard. "Adrien…"

 _What are you trying to pull?_ He frowned slightly, "What?"

"I feel safe with him." She started, "I—I have a complicated relationship with him, but it's not as though he's my boyfriend. He loves Ladybug. Everyone knows that."

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Adrien asked, after knocking and entering his office. It was just after dinner, a dinner that Adrien had spent alone.

Gabriel nodded, indicating for him to have a seat in front of the fireplace, where a flat screen was mounted above the mantle. He was clicking away at his computer, and suddenly, a video his son immediately recognized popped up on the large screen.

He laughed slightly, trying to lighten the mood, and turned to his father, "I didn't know you followed the Ladyblog."

The designer stood, made a point of saying nothing, and pressed play.

Adrien watched himself punch the glass window in, and he realized that Alya must've started recording much sooner. There was something off about his form. Maybe the catsuit made him a better fighter, but there was something incredibly distant about his punch, as though he were doing all he could to distance himself from his actions.

"That was really automatic." Her voice cooed off camera, "Does the posh Adrien Agreste have experience breaking-and-entering?"

He turned back, looking into the camera, and Adrien had to press his lips to avoid from smiling at the dorky pose.

"No. But if Marinette's involved, I'm dedicated. Be careful, guys, there's broken glass. And is that a live stream? If Hawkmoth knows what we're doing, he'll have the akuma move her."

Gabriel paused the video, staring at his son, "Obviously, I was informed about the video as soon as it appeared."

"Oh." He felt a sinking feeling in his chest, "Father, Marinette's life was in danger, I couldn't stand by."

He clicked his tongue, "The video went viral, Adrien."

 _He knows what a viral video is?_ "Are you upset?"

Gabriel looked at him with the flattest face, "I'm angry that you skirted your responsibilities to play vigilante with a blogger and that…Nino character."

Adrien looked away, "It was for Marinette, father. You know what she means to me. I know what she means to you. Don't you want her safe?"

He raised his eyebrows, attempting to look thoughtful. Of course, he didn't care either way of Marinette was safe or not. She could defend herself. Still, his plan did hinge on her being relatively safe, but not safe enough to be ignored by Chat Noir. _Relax your shoulders,_ he told himself, _speak softly, do what Celine would do._ "Adrien, of course I want her safe."

"Then why are you—"

"She and I are friends and business partners." Gabriel interrupted, passion flooding his voice. _He's buying it._ "But you're my son. This isn't about your reputation or our family's. It's about you, putting yourself in danger." He felt himself losing his composure over the entire situation. "I can't lose you, Adrien."

He felt a new wave of guilt at the sudden emotions coming out of his father. "Papa, I'm sorry, please don't be upset.

Gabriel stiffened, and glanced at a photo of Celine and Adrien, and went on, "I expect you to act more conscientiously. Your bravery is commendable, but it's ultimately undermined by your foolishness. And on this ridiculous blog, nonetheless."

"Marinette's on it."

He twittered, smiling slightly, "She's regularly harassed by Hawkmoth, of course she's on that wretched site."

Adrien swallowed, "No, she's a contributor. She has a whole page dedicated to Hawkmoth updates. Click that blue button."

Of course, Gabriel had already seen the video, but he did oblige to his son's request. Suddenly, a video of Alya with Marinette sitting next to her popped.

"Hello." Alya's crisp voice greeted them, along with a short wave, "We're here today for Hawkmoth Mondays, where Marinette and I discuss all things to do with Hawkmoth." She whirled to Marinette.

The blue-haired girl smiled lightly, wearing a casual Chat Noir hoodie, with cat ears. As usual, Alya wore a ladybug t-shirt. Adrien knew that the garments must've been designed and constructed by Marinette.

"Lot to talk about today." Marinette spoke.

"So, Madame Academy." Alya prodded, "Where's the footage? You've been evasive"

"I lost the footage." She admitted, pointing to the camera, "I always take pictures, but videos have been different. I'm afraid I don't know what I'm doing yet.

Alya shot a disappointed look to the camera, "So, Marinette, I heard that you had a decent conversation with Hawkmoth this time. Reveal anything important."

Her smile faltered for a second, "Well," Marinette lied, "I've had conversations with him before. It's typically the two of us throwing insults at each other until one of us gives up."

Gabriel suppressed an eyeroll, and paused the video, turning off the flatscreen. "She's lying, Adrien."

"W-what? No, she lost the footage." He retorted. _Marinette doesn't lie._

He shook his head, "It's alright. She's protecting her knowledge." Gabriel glanced over to his bewildered son, "For all she knows, that lunatic could start hurting those she loves to buy her silence."

Adrien stood, "Was there anything else?"

"The mayor's ball on Friday. I will be attending an after party and Nathalie will be away for the weekend, visiting family." He informed him sternly, "I expect you to escort Marinette home, and then head home yourself, and to be on your best behavior."

He nodded.

* * *

Somewhere, not too far from the Agreste mansion, a girl with pigtails was sitting at her desk, curled over a small, discreet notebook. The footage from the Madame Academy fight played into her headphones, and a massive headache had grown from temple to temple. She shut off the footage, and leaned back into her chair. She reread the words she had just written.

 _Gabriel Agreste._


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: I keep forgetting to mention it, but this story does pretty much exist in the same universe as my last series "Flying in Paris." Mama Agreste is mentioned here, and in the last chapters, right?_

Chapter 5: Mayor's Gala

* * *

Chat Noir knocked, gently on the glass door to her room. She sprung up, opening it and smiling slightly, "Chat, hey. It's been a while."

"I know." He answered, "Ladybug is MIA, and I've been doing her patrols." Chat couldn't escape the words she had said, blaming himself for Hawkmoth's sudden interest in her. "I t-thought the Chat hoodie was really adorable, by the way." He peeked over at her sewing machine, noticing the hoodie draped over the chair in front of the desk.

Marinette glanced up into his green, green eyes. "Are you alright? How have you been?"

He glanced, meeting her gaze. His hand came up, hesitantly, to her cheek, brushing flyaway hairs. "It doesn't matter." His voice was a bit stern, "I need you to stop investigating Hawkmoth, Mari. You're putting yourself in danger."

She took a step back. "Why?" Her eyes flitted to the floor, "I'm in danger regardless of what I do."

"It doesn't help that you're provoking him!" He didn't yell, her parents were fast asleep, but the frustration was in his voice.

"I know what I'm doing." Mari replied with a huff. "Besides, I have a definite lead that I'm following up on."

His eyes widened, "What? Who. Marinette, you need to tell me, Ladybug and I can handle it from here."

Shaking her head, she responded, "Once I know for sure, I'll tell you."

Chat Noir dropped his head, "Marinette, I can't let you do that."

The heroine suppressed her anger, and told him, "If something happens to me, don't give up your miraculous."

"What? What's going to happen?" His face was screwed up with fear, "Princess, you don't understand what you're saying. I won't pick my miraculous over you. Ladybug can handle things if I fall apart."

Marinette's heart felt as though it would stop in it's tracks. "This isn't the time for sidekick shenanigans. You're her partner. You can't abandon her."

Chat felt his blood run cold. If there was any word he hated the most, it was 'abandon'. "Between us, Mari, Hawkmoth knows who she is." He turned away, blinking back tears, "Any girl he or an akuma holds hostage, I have to automatically assume that it's _her._ "

"How do I convince you that I know what I'm doing?" Marinette replied. "Tell me."

"You can't."

"I can!" She responded, taking a step away from him.

He glared at her, "Yeah, and I'm Ladybug, Marinette. Please spare me."

Marinette sighed, _well, if Hawkmoth knows._ "Fine. Fine. Turn around." This wasn't how she imagined things to turn out, but she didn't expect her role model to be a supervillian, either.

Chat shot her a look, but he turned, feeling his anger plateau slightly. He heard a whisper, and then there was a sudden flash of white light.

"Don't. Look." She responded, through gritted teeth.

"Bugaboo?" He turned around anyway, seeing his black-spotted love. "Marinette? _You're kidding me._ "

She cocked her head to the side, her confidence surging now, "So, what? Disappointed?" She didn't care. This was enough to convince him. They could deal with this 'revealing their identities to each other' nonsense later.

"No! Of course not." He felt his heart-rate rising, "Do you mind if I de-transform? It doesn't make sense if you don't know my identity as well."

Her eyes narrowed, "Chat," her said anxiously, "If Hawkmoth captures me, he could torture your name out of me." She felt her hands trembling, her feet pressed against the hardwood. "There's nothing he could do to me transformed. We're indestructible, but me as a civilian? I'm not so sure. Your identity could be compromised."

Chat took a step towards her, and cupped her face in his hands, leaning in to kiss her. When her eyes shut, he de-transformed, and her eyes snapped wide open, cutting the kiss short before it even began.

"A-Adrien?" She sputtered. "Oh no."

"Mari—"

"No. No. I'm fine." Her voice was shaking, she walked over to her bed, and de-transformed. Tikki flew out of her earrings and up to him.

"Hello." She stared at him, flying a few inches from the bridge of her nose. "Tikki. You must be Adrien Agreste."

Plagg poked his head out of Adrien's shirt, hissing, "Is that Tikki? I thought I smelt the foul scent of sugar."

"At least I don't smell like cheese."

Adrien chuckled lightly, "Hey there, Tikki. It's nice to finally meet you." He glanced at Marinette, who's face was that of complete horror. "Mari. We need to resume that conversation."

"L-like I said, I'm m-more than c-c-capable." Was she stuttering because it was Adrien? No. The girl was reveling at the cruel irony of the situation. _His father could be Hawkmoth, hell, with this revelation, his father couldn't not be him._

He slowly walked towards her and knelt down in front of her, as her head was buried in her hands, which were propped up on her knees on her elbows. Adrien looked up at her, "Let me help you, princess, give me a name, and I'm on it."

Marinette sprung up, knocking him onto his back against he hardwood abruptly. "No! I can't do that."

His eyes widened, but he ultimately realized that she wouldn't change her mind. "Fine, Marinette. Fine." He stood, glancing at her alarm clock, and realized it was past two in the morning.

Recognizing how late it was, she sighed, "Adrien, I don't want to reveal him until I know for sure. We can talk more about it after I do or don't get concrete evidence."

Obviously, if it wasn't Adrien, she would tell him in less than a second. But, it was his father. The man who lost his wife and shut the entire world out, including his son. Marinette loathed him now, as she now knew Adrien in a much deeper way than before.

She wasn't mad that he had manipulated her, pushed her closer to Adrien in order to garner her respect and favor. It made sense now. The cruel designer, who she had started working for that summer, evolved overnight into a kind, fatherly mentor. He knew exactly who he was, who she was, and what it meant for her to consider him to be a good person.

And it had been painfully obvious, her mind was racing like it had been for the past two hours.

 _I transformed in his office._

 _He has one son._

 _The last girl who knew about his identity disappeared._ Wait, his wife? Wasn't Hawkmoth married to Madame Peacock? _Oh, he was being a clever asshole._

 _He didn't let his akuma attack Adrien._

 _He was uncharacteristically kind to her._

"Is it me?" His voice cut through her mental stormclouds, soft, gentle, sweet, anxious as hell.

Marinette decided that Gabriel had influenced her in some way, "No," she lied through her teeth. "If I get caught, I get caught. I'm not putting you at risk." Swallowing, she headed for the door, "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." Adrien answered, "Plagg? Where'd you go?"

Marinette looked around, not spotting either kwami there. "I think they gave us the slip." She shut the door. "Do you want to just spend the night? I can set my alarm early so you can get out of here before you're caught for sneaking out."

He nodded, peeling off his button up. "Is it alright if I just wear boxers?" I mean, she was wearing pajama shorts, and a tank top.

She was closing the blinds of her balcony door. "Yeah, that's fine." The pink in her face was exponentially increasing at a rate that was beyond her control. Luckily, there was a light switch next to the door, and it was dark enough that Adrien would see.

Adrien has night vision, and his eyes adjusted immediately, taking note of her blushing. She climbed into her bed, and he climbed in next to her. It was a small bed, though. "Do you mind cuddling? It's small."

She nuzzled back into her, accepting her fate as little spoon. He held her tightly.

* * *

The next day, Adrien opened the front door of his house, peaking inside surreptitiously, Marinette in tow, looking unamused.

In truth, she was petrified to take one step inside. "Are you sure you're dad is fine with me being here?"

"He _did_ say to deliver his dress to you personally." He explained, pulling her inside and shutting the door. "And I didn't want to bring the dress to school, that's an akuma waiting to happen."

"Chloe was already akumatized." She replied, but still, she appreciated his concern.

It was about four hours before the ball.

He laughed, recalling how upset the blonde was that he didn't invite her. After all, Chloe was already invited, what was the point? "He said it was in a box in his sewing room."

Holding her hand, he lead her down the stairs of the basement. Thin, wooden stairs that were clearly reminiscent of the house before whatever remodeling, rebuilding, and restructuring that Gabriel put in place. Their feet soon padded onto the old hardwood floors.

"Is he home?" Marinette tried to sound neutral. Gabriel shouldn't terrify her, she knew. He had never hurt her. Hell, the way he manipulated her, she found it so hard to believe that he was capable of true evil. Yes, he was strict and cold-hearted, but there was a difference between a distant father and a supervillain.

"No, he's probably leaving for the party straight from the office." Adrien told her.

Adrien opened the door to the sewing room, thankfully unoccupied until the two heroes stepped inside. There was a well-sized box on the work table, meticulously wrapped with a blue bow.

Marinette strode over to it, glancing at Adrien as he waited by the door. He felt as though he was invading his father's personal space, and he marveled at his lady's confidence.

She didn't open the box, but picked it up and turned around, heading out the door. "I have a lot to do before tonight, kitty." Her fingers brushed his chin, poking him lightly.

Adrien smiled, following her out the door.

Luckily, she wouldn't run into Gabriel until the ball.

* * *

Marinette examined the dress. a mint-colored dress, with drop shoulder sleeves that stopped mid-forearm, a corseted bodice that blended effortlessly into the skirt, a delicate a-line silhouette on top of a sweetheart neckline.

It was rather stunning. She stared at the box of earrings that came with it, in utter distaste. "Tikki…"

"I know." Tikki responded, "Call Adrien?"

She agreed, dialing his number into her phone. He picked up, "Booty call?"

"No." She pursed her lips, "Your father put earrings in the box. Do you mind keeping Tikki and my miraculous on you for the night?"

"Oh, yeah, no problem, I'm sure Plagg would like the company."

She heard a distinct groan in the background, and giggled slightly. "I should be ready in twenty, though." In reality, her makeup and hair was done, she just wanted the extra twenty minutes to collect herself before seeing Gabriel Fucking Agreste.

"Alright," Adrien replied, chipper. "My driver and I will be there, then."

"Isn't Gabriel carpooling?"

"No," Adrien said, "He's driving separately, there's this ultra-exclusive after party."

Marinette smiled, "I'll see you soon, then."

They said their goodbyes and hung up. She slipped the dress on, having Tikki assist with the zipper. It fit her like a glove, thankfully.

"You look gorgeous!" Tikki was practically glowing, spinning around to view the number. It was beautiful, it was bouncy, it was dance-ready.

"Thanks." Marinette felt nauseous, the familiar symptoms of anxiety beginning to swell. "Did you hear what he said, about Gabriel?"

The red kwami nodded gravely, "Now's your chance, Mari."

She nodded slightly, "All I have to do is get sneak inside, right? T-then, we'll quietly invade his o-office or p-private study."

"You need to keep your nerve." Tikki told her. "I can inform Plagg of the plan if you want, and he can distract him."

Mari shook her head, "There's no point in telling him, if he tells Adrien what my intentions are, he would be furious." Her eyes skirted away, not wanting to meet Tikki's gaze. She couldn't afford to not believe in herself tonight.

She watched Adrien's car pull to a stop in front of the bakery. Her parents had already subjected her to photos, and luckily, she convinced them not to subject Adrien to picture-taking.

Adrien stepped out of the car, stunned to silence. Of course, she was stunned as well. He looked far more handsome than she expected to him. The pastel blue brought out his eyes in a complementary way that made him look as though he were glowing. Still, he was cool. Damn, he was the crisp morning just before sunrise.

His hand was lightly on the small of her back, as he held the car door open for her. Their driver looked pleased as they pulled away, heading towards the Bourgeois Hotel.

"How are you?" He looked at her, feeling wary. She clutched the earring box.

She slipped off the miraculous earrings, as Tikki discretely slipped out of the skirt of Mari's dress. She didn't disappear, however, as it wasn't a situation where their bond would necessarily break. Unless Marinette was too far away from Tikki, she would be around to keep Plagg company. "I'm good." She handed the earrings to Adrien, who slipped them into a small coin purse that fit into his pocket.

Tikki flew into his blazer, to a much a visibly displeased (but secretely, very, very, pleased) Plagg.

"You seem nervous."

"Just—stay close to me if something happens tonight." Mari replied, opening the box of jade earrings. She slid them into her earholes, feeling naked regardless. "Chloe's going to be there."

Adrien smiled, "There's going to be a lot of high profiles there. Jagged Stone, for example. I'm sure she won't bother us all night."

Marinette nodded, but she wasn't worried about seeing Gabriel. She was worried if her distaste and loathing would show through when people asked who designed her dress. She was worried if Gabriel would approach her and have a conversation with her. She was worried that he would mention her earrings, play a joke on her, drop some kind of hint that he _knew._

She was worried that he would akumatize someone just to watch her struggle.

"Mari, are you sure you're okay?" Adrien asked.

He pulled her out of her own mental psych-out. _You haven't proven anything yet, remember._ She glanced over to him, "It's just, you know, I always wear my designs. It's weird wearing something Gabriel made. It's weird seeing you wearing my designs."

Adrien leaned back slightly, accepting that he wouldn't know the real answer. "I understand." He tried to sound supportive of whatever she was battling within her.

When they arrived to the hotel, there was an appropriate red carpet. Adrien opened the door to a flash of cameras. He held out his hand for Marinette, and her heels hit the pavement. Her hair was hit with the subtle breeze, which she spent the better part of an hour working it into an updo with curly flyaways framing her face and ears.

"You look stunning," He murmured to her, "Ready?"

They walked inside, not bothering to stop for the cameras. The real work was inside, after all.

The gala, bless its heart, was in full swing. Adrien's hand brushed over Marinette's back, and murmured, "Chloe hasn't spotted us, yet, but her father is coming towards us from two o'clock."

Her eyes fell to the robust mayor, who was absolutely flushed. "Adrien, and you must be Marinette!" He was so genuinely kind, loving, and fatherly. "Thank you both for coming."

"We wouldn't miss it." Adrien replied, without missing a beat. "Have you seen my father?"

"I believe Gabriel and the other designers, and... _artistics_ are in the garden room." André replied. "Though last I heard, there was an argument about pastels? It's a lot of jargon." He glanced over his shoulder, "Chloe's over by Jagged Stone, if you two want to stop by there."

"I'm sure we'll see her." Marinette answered, shooting a sly look to Adrien, "Did Ladybug and Chat Noir ever respond to your invite?"

The mayor sighed, but the light in his eyes didn't fade, "I think they'll come this year! Ladybug is such a good friend of Chloe's, there's no way she _at least_ wouldn't be here."

Adrien and Marinette circumvented the main area of the party, heading towards the glass-walled room.

"You know," He whispered, "I'm jealous of you."

She whirled to him, the boy who would have every advantage in life, the boy who already had a successful career in the fashion industry that she was sure she'd kill for. "What?"

"You can just pretend your Ladybug and be confidence and amazing, you know?" He beamed, "If I acted like Chat Noir right now, I think I'd get the grounding of the century."

Sighing, she realized that he was trying to give her advice, "Thanks, Adrien." _If I acted like Ladybug acted right now, who knows what state Gabriel would be in, right now._

They were almost to the garden room when she heard the most grating sound of existence. " _Adriikins!"_ Chloe's voice, Mari had to give her credit where it was due, was not unlike a princess's when she wanted it to be.

"Chloe." His face lit up only, "You look great."

 _Not stunning,_ the heroine thought, _he didn't say stunning, girl._

"You look amazing!" The blonde in the gold dress replied, "This jacket is gorgeous!" She turned to his date, acknowledging her for the first time, "It's a shame you have to stand next to someone who looks so tragic. Maybe I should start a charity for you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"Actually—" A cool voice cut through behind the trio of high schoolers.

Marinette's breath hitched in her throat. Her heart stopped, and she had to remind herself not to collapse on the spot.

"—I would appreciate if you didn't insult my dress, Chloe." Gabriel told her. He had somehow managed to sneak up on the heroine, and his eyes were a blue fire that she hadn't seen before. "But, I'm sure you redeemed yourself by complimenting Marinette's design on Adrien."

Chloe had paled, just as Gabriel had expected her to. "Monsieur Agreste, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."

Marinette's eyes narrowed, "It's alright," She said convincingly, "We all have different opinions on fashion." Her eyes scanned between the four of them, "We, the four of us, are a few fashion icons of Paris, aren't we? It'd be incredibly boring if we all thought the same."

The hero nodded, "Agreed."

Gabriel glanced to Marinette, "You look lovely, I imagine we'll both succeed tonight."

"I h-have to ask." Marinette tried not to sway, "We didn't have a fitting! How did you manage this?"

He winked, "When you've been working with clients and measuring tape for so long, you will rarely ever need measurements." Gabriel made note of her nervousness. _Any girl would be nervous,_ he thought, _she doesn't have her miraculous tonight._

"Years of patterning don't give this level of fit." She shook her head gently. "Come on, Gabriel, did you measure my jackets and make an educated guess?"

Gabriel sucked in a breath, not wanting to admit to buying the 1/7 scale, PVC figure of Ladybug hidden in away in a random drawer, in a random room of his home. It was accurate enough to get the fit right. "Designers have their secrets."

Adrien saw Marinette stiffen slightly, and reply with a chuckle, "Alright, sir, if you want to be mysterious. I'm going to find something to drink, Adrien, did you want something?"

His eyes met her's, _she wants to leave already?_ "Just water. I have a shoot tomorrow." He normally didn't have photoshoots after the gala's, so that he could drink, but for some reason, this one was particularly pressing.

"Which means you'll have to leave early." Gabriel told them both pointedly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe Chanel was waiting for me. Have a lovely night."

Chloe was left alone with Adrien, which normally left her incredibly pleased, but now, left her uncomfortable. Gabriel always left her with an uneasy feeling, and now he was wearing the other girl's clothes.

"So, you invited Marinette?" She asked him, nudging his bare arm, "That's different."

Adrien smiled, "I know. Sorry about my father."

"He's always been that way." Chloe answered. Her voice was always softest when the two of them were alone.

"Still," Adrien disagreed, "He should be more sensitive. He knows the anniversary was yesterday. He attended the funeral."

Chloe swallowed, glancing around the room. It was such a private affair, when her mother died, but the gala had been a tradition for almost one-hundred years. Hell, it tore her father up even more when he was the only mayor in the history of Paris to break the tradition that year.

"I think he's bitter." Chloe replied, "Your mom—"

"She's missing. Not dead. Two different things." Adrien swallowed, "Still, I'm sure he wished he could have the finality of your situation. You know exactly where she is."

Her hands clasped the hem of her dress. "I meant to ask you if you knew where she was."

Adrien glanced at her, his eyes darkened, of course, everyone asked him if he knew. His father asked if he knew. Nathalie asked if he knew. The police, reporters, they all asked at least once.

He always lied. Gabriel had stopped asking eventually, after all, and soon, the others fell in line. It was the only lie that Gabriel had ever unconditionally believed.

"Chloe, if I knew, she'd be standing here right now." He replied. If his mother were standing here with him right now, she would probably make some pointed comment that Chloe was being highly personable for someone with the personality of a brain tumor.

Plagg peeked at Tikki, the small pocket they shared might have gotten smaller. "Is your girly okay?" The party was dying down, but no one, not even Adrien, would here them.

Tikki smiled gently, "Wouldn't you like to know, kitten?"

His bright green eyes, like cloud-free sunlight on grass, stared into her's, and she felt the familiar feelings of bubbly, eons-old love. "She's acting weird."

"I'm sure Adrien would act the same if he had to take off his miraculous." Tikki answered, blinking. "This kind of event is an event that Hawkmoth would know about, you know."

"Gabriel's already here. He couldn't slip away unnoticed." Plagg answered.

It was so rare that they both got to speak together in private. As much as they would want to spend time on themselves, Tikki knew that times like these were best spent discussing strategy and mutual information. Besides, since Adrien and Marinette revealed themselves, they'd have more time for each other, anyhow.

"How long have you known?" Tikki responded.

His ears twitched, the god if destruction was _upset_. "As soon as I saw him."

Tikki swallowed. They were bound not to reveal the identities of other miraculous holders to their wards. "I'm sorry, that must be hard."

"It wounds me not to tell him." Plagg answered, "Does she know? Adrien is oblivious."

The red kwami hesitated, but nodded, "She asked me not to tell you. He's out of the house tonight, so she's going to sneak into the mansion and confirm it for herself."

Plagg nodded, "I can distract him, I'm sure."

"Maybe get him out of the house, tell him that you sense an akuma or something." Tikki offered, "Then play it off like a joke."

"I will. Is she going to tell him once she knows?"

"…I don't know." Tikki answered, she had been debating this with herself since her ward had found out. "She knew better not to tell Adrien or Chat, luckily."

Plagg agreed with. Adrien may not appreciate his father, but he would defend him to his grave. He would be furious to know that Marinette so much as _entertained_ the idea that Gabriel was truly evil. The father who loved him in his own, distant, colorful way. Plagg had to hand it to Adrien, he had a strong family values.

This would rock his socks, really.

At some point later that night, Marinette stood at the office doors of Gabriel's office. Already transformed into Ladybug, her eyes fell onto the door handle. _No more hesitation._

She opened the door.

The office was dimly lit by Gabriel's desktop monitor, making his deep-set cheekbones incredibly intimidating. He glanced up as she reflexively turned on the main lights.

"Ladybug?" He stood, suddenly on high alert, "Is everything alright? Where's Adrien? Is he okay?"

She looked like a ghost, "What are you doing here?"

"I live here, Ladybug." He deadpanned, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

 _I am no way prepared for this._ Still, the spotted heroine had to endure, "As you may know, one of your business partners has been repeatedly harassed by Hawkmoth."

Gabriel walked towards her, but stopped in front of his desk, leaning on it, crossing his arms. Maybe if Marinette was his age, she'd find it charming, but right now, it was just a nuisance that he was closer to her.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." He told her.

"Y-Yes! Her." Ladybug tried to search his face, but he had the face of a marble statue. "Hawkmoth and her have an interesting discourse, and she has suggested to me several names of citizens who could be Hawkmoth."

He raised his eyebrows, _are you that close? I should've given you more credit. Still, this is going to plan._ "So, she gave you my name?"

"Yes." Marinette's eyes narrowed, she walked over to the mantle, staring at the pictures of Adrien and Celine. "Given the nature of my situation, I have to consider you guilty until proven innocent, Mr. Agreste."

She turned to look at him. "Fair enough, Ladybug." Turning around, he pulled away Celine's portrait from behind his desk. She watched him, dial in the code, and open. He pulled out a brooch, and showed it to her. "I was tasked with guarding the peacock miraculous. It's not safe to keep all of them in one place, after all. Master Fu, have you met him yet?"

Mari didn't falter. _His wife was Madame Peacock, it makes sense that he would have her brooch._ "I have. However, that doesn't prove anything."

"Why would I have two?" His eyes sparkled, "You can't wield two miraculouses, unless you have…well, you know that, don't you?"

"Put it on, then. Transform." She answered pointedly. "If you don't have the butterfly miraculous as well, then you shouldn't transform, if that's a real miraculous, as you claim."

"This was my wife's." Gabriel informed her, "Don't ask me to do that."

"Madame Peacock married Hawkmoth, everyone knows that." She took a step towards him, "You're Hawkmoth."

He looked at her, suddenly disappointed, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you that my miraculous was stolen, would you?"

"No." Her voice was firm.

She felt her vision darken, and whirled around, stumbling to see an akuma behind her, dressed in a nightgown and slippers.

"That's a shame, Marinette."

Ladybug collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Nightmares.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Waiting for Tomorrow

Nathalie knocked on Adrien's door. "Adrien? Are you awake?"

"Hmmfff." She heard a moaning noise come from inside. "Five more minutes."

Opening the door, she stared at him, still in bed, under the covers. He always overslept. The party must have taken it's toll on the boy. "The police are here, Adrien. They want to talk to you."

He jumped up, immediately looking at her with wide eyes. _Oh god, they found me out._ "What…What do they want?"

Her eyes widened, realizing that he hasn't heard the news. Nathalie walked over to his phone, on Adrien's dresser. She tossed it to him, which he leapt forward to catch. He was always an agile kid.

He had five missed calls from Marinette's parents, eleven texts from Alya, a call from his father, hell, a call from the mayor himself.

"Marinette?"

"I'm sorry to say this. She's missing, Adrien." Nathalie inhaled. "The police want to ask you a few questions."

He fumbled towards his closet, quickly putting on a fresh shirt and pants. His heart was racing, remembering the last time he saw her.

Marinette sat in the car, her miraculous earrings back on. She glanced to him, her face illuminated by he passing streetlights, "That was a lot of fun. I'm glad your father invited me."

"I would've invited you if he hadn't asked, you know." His thumb traced circles on her wrist. "I'm glad you're feeling better. You seemed really off at the beginning of the night."

"I was really nervous about your father, actually." She responded, "I was afraid that I was wearing accessorizing his dress all wrong."

He nodded, "I think we'll both be on the best dressed list, though." A lot of guests had asked them both who they were wearing. It was charming to admit, and even more asked if they were dating after discovering that Adrien was wearing her design. "Are you going on patrol tonight?"

"I think an akuma would've happened during the gala." She told him, "I don't see a reason to, tonight."

When they finally pulled in front of her parent's bakery. Adrien stepped out of the car, and opened the door for her. Mari came gracefully out of the car taking his hand. "Thank you," She told him when she was at the door. "I had a wonderful time."

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" He was glowing. She was perfection.

Her smile faltered, "Yeah, you will, we should meet for lunch."

"Alright." He kissed her forehead, "Have a great night."

"A-Adrien!" She called, he was halfway to the car, her voice was strained.

"Mari, what?" _Something is still off,_ he realized.

She looked down at her feet, slightly red from the several hours spent in heels, "I just wanted to say that I love that we revealed our identities to each other. I didn't imagine that we'd do something like this."

"Me too, Princess." His smile was so wide, so genuine.

Now, he was staring at Nathalie, the next day, Sunday, "Where's my father? Does he know?" He was…surprisingly calm. He went through the exact same thing three years ago. He could handle this, definitely.

Well, he couldn't handle Marinette missing, but Adrien was so used to lying about Chat Noir, lying about Marinette being Ladybug would be breezy. He could handle covering for her, lying for her, pretending that she was just a civilian.

"He's at the office," She explained, "Your father and Marinette were supposed to deal with all of the orders and commissions that would come in from last night, but now it's just him, so it's going to be busy."

The two of them descended down the stairs, to two police officers. _Oh,_ he thought, _it's Roger._ The same man who was his mother's security guard and a member of the Agreste household until three years ago. He was also akumatized a few months ago, but he seemed fairly well now, promoted to a detective.

"Roger, it's good to see you." He offered weakly.

"We just want to ask you a few questions about Marinette." He told him professionally, "As you may have heard, Marinette didn't arrive home last night, did you drop her off?"

He nodded, "I did, sir. "

"Did you see her go inside the bakery?" He responded.

Adrien took note of the softness of his voice, after all, Roger was subjected to the same questions when Celine disappeared. Still, the model knew he wasn't a suspect.

"Both my driver and I saw that she went inside." He answered. Gorilla would confirm this, definitely. She opened the door. She went inside.

Hawkmoth must've been waiting for her, he realized. The villain must've seen that she was at the gala, and realized she'd be coming home extremely late. The perfect time to strike. Adrien's stomach was reduced to knots, thinking of that monster, waiting in her room for her to come home.

Maybe it was an akuma, but still. Adrien felt like if he'd just checked on her last night while he was running patrols he would've realized that she was missing.

"Did you notice anyone at the party who might've been…upset with her?" He asked, "Anyone who might want to hurt her?"

"No." Adrien answered. "Everyone adored her last night."

Roger scrawled something into his notebook, "Do you have any idea where she could be?"

He, again, shook his head, Adrien didn't know what to say, but the automated response that he knew by heart, "She's been repeatedly harassed by Hawkmoth's akumas. It's possible that that's the situation."

Several questions (that weren't helpful to the investigation) later, Nathalie's phone went off. "We should turn on the news." She stated urgently.

Pretty soon, the model, the assistant, and the two police officers were in the kitchen, huddled around a small television with cooks surrounding them.

There were two reporters that faded into view, "For those of you just tuning in, a large swarm of butterflies have crowded around the Eiffel tower, in what can only be described as Hawkmoth's butterflies."

Adrien's eyes narrowed.

The purple butterflies began to form the face of the familiar Hawkmoth.

 _"Chat Noir."_ The butterflies hummed as Hawkmoth spoke.

He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on his hand, he tried not to let his anxiety show through.

 _"Give me your miraculous at midnight in two days, or Marinette Dupain-Cheng will face the consequences…I know what she means to you, boy, don't disappoint. Tuesday, at midnight."_ The butterflies disappeared into a giant cloud of smoke. Hawkmoth was always about presentation, after all.

The screen cut back to the two reporters, who were stunned into the silence. A producer off-camera coughed, and the redheaded girl sprang back, "For those of you who don't know, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, an up-and-coming designer in Paris, went missing last night and is now, once again, being held hostage."

The other reporter put her finger to her ear, "We now go to our Ladybug correspondent, Alya Cesaire, who I understand, is also a good friend of Marinette's."

"Thanks Blaire." Ayla's face cut into the shot, her voice didn't shake. "To add to that, Marinette is a contributor to the Ladyblog, which I am the webmaster of. I just witnessed Hawkmoth's announcement and I am still in a state of shock." She smiled weakly, clutching the microphone tighter. "Furthermore, I'm baffled that Hawkmoth only want's Chat Noir's miraculous."

Adrien swallowed, his hands were in his pockets.

The screen split between one of the news anchors and Alya, "Do you think it could suggest that Marinette is Ladybug?"

Alya's face made it clear that she had already thought of that, and it was the exact question she didn't want to hear, "Yes, I do. If anything, it is almost direct evidence that Marinette Dupain-Cheng…is Ladybug. Hawkmoth told Chat Noir, 'I know what she means to you.' This either suggests that Hawkmoth knows that Marinette is Ladybug, or that Chat Noir and her are dating."

"As her best friend, can you confirm or deny that they're dating?"

It was at this point that Adrien realized that Alya was standing in front of the bakery. "Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng are in a committed relationship." She told the cameras. "There's no way she's dating Chat Noir."

Nathalie cut off the television, she turned towards the police officers, "Is there anything else you need?"

The police officers headed out of the kitchen. Adrien had his hands on the old, wooden table, trying to regulate his breathing.

He felt Nathalie's manicured hand on his shoulder "Adrien, I'm sure everything will be okay." But he could hear the doubt in her voice, the curiosity, the burning desire to know what he knows about Marinette.

"We have the photoshoot, right?" He looked at her, then at a small clock on the wall. They had two hours.

She shook her head, "Your father said that, in light of the circumstances, to cancel it."

"No." Adrien told her flatly, "Please, let's just do the shoot."

"You need time to process this. Marinette—"

He scowled, "Sitting around won't change anything. Father already made it clear not to get involved in that sort of thing." Adrien skirted around the cooks, "Call him and let him know."

* * *

Marinette came to, eventually, her hands were tied down to the armrests of a rather comfy chair. She still wore the sweatpants and hooded jacket that she wore before she transformed the night before. The green dress was hung up in her closet. There was a blanket on her, which somewhat helped to bite against the cold that kissed her cheeks and nose.

"You're awake."

Snapping to attention, "Where's Tikki?" Her wrists strained against the rope, but she was just Marinette. They wouldn't budge.

Gabriel walked into her view. "She's safe." He held up a small jewelry box. "So, Marinette, why don't we have a chat."

She said nothing, _be strong, be Ladybug._

He was as charming as ever, "Oh, come on, Mari. Aren't we friends? This—" he waved around the room, a large open space, not unlike an abandoned dance studio "—Is just business between two superheroes."

"You're not a hero, Gabriel." She answered. "You're a psychotic monster."

His eyes didn't betray the immediate annoyance, "Watch your tone, if you come out of this alive, we still have to work together at my company."

"I will _never_ work for you again," She spat.

He shrugged, "You have another year on my contract. If you don't work for me, it's just two years of waiting for someone else to surpass you."

Paling, she leaned back against the chair, "Is there anything else you wanted to say to me?"

"Tell me who Chat Noir is." He told her.

She visibly relaxed, _he doesn't know._ "Wow, I didn't realize you could be so convincing, Gabriel Agreste." Marinette answered drily.

Gabriel took a step closer to her, "You should be more concerned about your future as a designer than being a superhero, Marinette."

"I would give up my life before I give up his identity."

The old man shrugged impassively, "Either way, he's supposed to come here in two days at midnight. Your life or his miraculous? You'll have time to think. Our partnership still has a future, Marinette, you just have to think a bit harder about it." He smirked, "Hell, you and Adrien have a future that you shouldn't throw away for this."

His phone rang, he shot her a look, Gabriel's voice was low, threatening like the growl of a mountain lion. "Say a word, and you're as good as dead."

She was stricken with fear.

"Nathalie? What is it? ...He _wants_ to do the shoot?" He tutted, "Well, inform him that with Hawkmoth running around Paris, I don't want him leaving the house until this whole ordeal is over." There was a pause, he stared at Marinette, "Yes, I was about to start on the orders. I have an intern."

Marinette's voice was in disbelief, "He wants to do the shoot?"

Gabriel looked at her, _is her heart breaking?_ "Maybe he doesn't love you as much he's let on."

Sighing, she realized that it was going to be a grueling two days, "I won't give up so easily, Gabriel."

* * *

School the next day was solemn. There wasn't much to be said. Even Chloe and Sabrina were mild, only conversing quietly among themselves. Alya was late to first period, and Nino didn't show up until second. Adrien, surprisingly was on time. Early, in fact.

When his mother left, he quickly learned from his father that the best thing to do was stick to the schedule, don't deviate, resume normal routine, as that was the best way to move on.

 _It didn't work when mom left,_ he thought, _but I have a long day at school to distract myself, so this might be different._

However, things weren't different, because as soon as the bell for lunch chimed, Alya was in front of Nino and Adrien's desk, her hands pressed against the wood. "Let's go."

Her boyfriend clearly knew what to do, gathering his bag and putting away his school supplies. "Adrien, pack your things."

"W-what are we doing?" He tried to play it dumb, but he didn't sound so convincing.

Alya shot him a look of complete adrenaline. "We're finding Marinette before Chat Noir does."

Adrien signed, placing her tablet into his messenger, and stood, following them out the door. "We don't have any leads." He told them plainly.

He realized what direction they were headed towards, and she shot him a slightly devilish smile, "Oh, yes, we do."

Pretty soon, Nino, Adrien, and Alya were in Marinette's room. "It's nice to see that she took down her clippings of you, Adrien." The girl commented.

He was rifling through her desk, trying to find any information before his two classmates, "She actually took those down before we even started dating. I think she moved on before I got the hint."

Tom and Sabine had let them in wordlessly, trading off shifts between the two of them at the shop. They were…tired, to say the least. The world was now convinced that their precious daughter was Ladybug, and her life was on the line. They figured that if anyone could find anything regarding her whereabouts, it would be her friends.

Nino grimaced, glancing into her closet, pulling out boxes, opening them, closing them. "I don't know if we'd find anything. If I was a superhero, I don't think I'd just leave evidence lying around." He held up a Chat Noir hoodie, "She does make Chat merch though."

"They're great friends, inevidently." The reporter replied, the bitterness showing through. She pushed away the swivel chair that Adrien sat in, leaning down over the computer. "Her password game sucks for a superhero though."

"What is it?"

She sighed, "You don't want to know."

The first thing that popped up was the video. Alya and Nino watched it, commenting slightly at the footage.

"So someone else found out who he was and disappeared." She remarked, "Adrien, why didn't you tell us that you were there."

"It wasn't worth mentioning. He's a monster."

"What. Wait, go back." Nino pushed the buttons, his fingers flying. "Madame Academy stopped before hitting you dude."

"I think it was a fluke." Adrien informed them. "Hawkmoth makes mistakes. Besides, this is Marinette's research. I don't think she'd appreciate us going through it, considering that we can't save her."

Alya looked at him, suddenly angry, "What the hell, Adrien? We can't save her? If we don't Chat Noir will give up his miraculous for her."

"Is that such a bad thing?" He responded passively, "If that means she lives?"

Nino swallowed, "Dude. Chat Noir may love Ladybug, but she's one-hundred percent stuck on you. No need for bitterness."

His eyes fell to the trashcan, he stood, "I'm not bitter. I know how she feels about me." He leaned down, picking up paper out of the trash can. "Did she often burn her papers?"

"What?" Alya took the piece of paper out of his hands, "This is old classwork, Adrien."

"Yeah, I'm not saying that this was what she was trying to hide, I'm saying that there's evidence that whatever papers she was burning area long gone." He told her, noting the slight scorch marks. "Do you see any notebooks?"

Her eyes scanned the desk, finding nothing. Adrien stood back up, walking towards the balcony. He peeled back the curtains, but something about the curtains was off. The weight was wrong. He looked to the left curtain, and realized that an envelope was taped to the inside, between the fabric and the glass of the door. Adrien pulled it off, seeing the curly script 'Chat Noir' on the front.

"What's that?" Nino looked over, Alya did the same.

"A letter to Chat Noir." He murmured, turning it over. The letter was sealed with candlewax.

Mari's best friend stepped towards him, "I can get that to him."

Adrien ripped open the seal, it was a letter to him, after all. He smiled lightly, "I don't think we want him to read this until we know the contents, right? If the letter contains information about Hawkmoth, we wouldn't want—"

"You don't know what's inside there, dude." Nino told him, "You might read something you don't want to read."

"I promise you, Marinette's feelings towards Chat Noir don't have any effect on me." He promised, pulling the letter out of the envelope. He read the letter aloud.

 _My dearest Chat,_

 _If you're reading this, then the man I investigated last night after the gala turned out to be Hawkmoth. I told you I'd tell you, but I'm afraid that's not something I can do now. Please, my darling, don't be upset, don't be angry with me, as that situation has only gotten more complicated. I guess, if there's anything I can say, we both know him as a civilian._

 _Kitten, because of the nature of this situation, I've come up with a plan. When the time comes (and you'll know), I need you to reveal your identity to him. It's not ideal, but it's going to be enough to shock him and give the two of us the upper hand. Whether he reveals his identity to you is up to him, but my love, you need to be prepared._

 _Under no circumstances, should you give him your miraculous. He will have mine when you arrive, I will do my best to resist being possessed by an akuma, but I don't know if I'll be able to hold out. I'll try to resist, I'll try to focus on positive emotions, my love for you, my family, my friends. But it might not be enough after whatever he puts me through._

 _Make sure you tell your loved ones how much you love them, before you go save me. It's going to be an ordeal for everyone involved._

 _All my love,_

 _Marinette_

He frowned, looking up at his friends, who looked rather shocked.

"Adrien, I'm so sorry." Alya blinked, "We didn't know."

The model looked at them, unaffected. No one had suggested that the boy Marinette dated, Adrien Agreste, was Chat Noir. "It's _fine._ " He told them.

"No, it's not." Nino's voice was fire. "She lied to you, so was dating someone else. She loves someone else."

He sighed, _well, this is awkward._ "Don't you think I knew that?" _Be snappy, be convincing,_ he told himself, _it's for Marinette._

"What?" Alya's eyes widened, "You _knew?_ "

Adrien glared at her, "Yeah, I knew. How could I not? She's my girlfriend. She kept getting captured by Hawkmoth and Chat Noir kept saving her. It's almost impossible not to develop a relationship that way."

Nino's eyes softened, "You weren't upset?"

He shook his head, "Marinette was honest with me from the beginning."

"So, you knew she was Ladybug before me?" Alya crossed her arms, "And you knew she was dating Chat Noir?"

Adrien smiled gently, "I know that Marinette has secrets, I know that most people do. It's okay, I'm just happy that Chat Noir cares about her so much to save her." He sighed, handing the letter to Alya. "Scan the letter and send it to Chat's e-mail. Marinette said he checked it fairly regularly. We should go."

"We don't have enough to find Hawkmoth." Alya told him, "Marinette knows him in real life, and so does Chat. That could be anyone Between the bakery, school, her job and constantly dealing with akuma attacks? We're still at square one."

"We have important information for Chat Noir." He told them, "Mari has a plan, we really should go."

The trio headed down the stairs. Sabine sat on the sofa, turning to see them. "Done so quickly? Did you find anything."

"A letter to Chat Noir." He told her, "Marinette has a plan, Ms. Cheng, I promise that everything will be okay."

"That's my ladybug." Sabine answered wistfully. "I know she'll be okay. Thank you guys for helping. I know she'll be better off because of it."

The trio exchanged a glance. "Sabine, did Mari say anything last night?" Alya asked, "Did she say where she was heading?"

She brushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear, "She went upstairs almost immediately, she said she was tired. I did hear her leave but I assumed she'd be back soon, so I went to bed." Sabine looked at a small clock on the wall, "If you all leave now, you can make it for the last period."

They didn't make it to last period, instead, headed towards their own, separate houses, with plans to meet up after dinner to discuss new information. Alya would be reporting on the Ladyblog and getting into contact with Chat Noir, Nino would be scouring maps of Paris for potential spots, and Adrien would be taking to his father's archives to find any information on Hawkmoth.

Gabriel had saved a lot of Parisian news magazines in the late nineties and early 2000s. Who could blame him? Gabriel and Celine were at the height of their celebrity. Luckily, these magazines included information on Madame Peacock and Hawkmoth, interviews, articles, explorative theories on their identities.

Adrien headed into the library first, gathering a stack of magazings in a pantry, where they were all stored. There were enough magazines that featured Celine, he'd have a lot of information.

Setting up shop in the dining room table, he set himself to work. The magazines were soft and dull underneath his fingers, and he was soon organizing the zines into piles. Luckily, Nathalie was at the office.

Of course, that left Gabriel unaccounted for, carrying a small briefcase, walking through the dining room. He stopped, staring at his son and at the magazines. "You should be in school, Adrien."

"Yeah—Hey, father." He looked up, "Are there any good magazine articles about Hawkmoth, where he lives, what he does in his normal life?"

Gabriel's eyes sparkled slightly, "Adrien...I don't want you skipping school to try to be a hero. You're not a hero. Secondly, whatever Hawkmoth says in those articles, you can safely assume that he's lying or that it's no longer true."

"So, where have you been?" He stood, pushing the chair back, "I haven't seen you."

"That's typically normal." The designer twittered, waiting to go. Marinette was waiting, and every second away was another second giving her a chance to escape.

Adrien shook his head, "I typically hear you around the house, at least." He swallowed looking down, "With Marinette disappearing, it really makes you evaluate family, you know? You don't have to have dinner with me, or attend parent teacher conferences, but you can't just disappear, dad."

He stared at his son, who was overcome with obvious guilt, regret, and anguish. Gabriel took enough steps towards his son, and put his hand on his small shoulder. "You have nothing to worry about, son."

The young blonde came forward, hugging his father, "I love you, dad."

Gabriel placed his arms around his son, "I love you, too. I know these past few days have been rough. I promise, everything will be okay."

Adrien pulled away, staring up at him, "Marinette is Ladybug, Dad. I don't think things will be okay if Chat Noir is left."

He tried to suppress his joy at the thought, but still, he had to appear supportive, "I'm sure those kids will figure out something." He sighed, "I have to get back to the office. Try not to skip school, okay?"

"You're not upset?" Adrien stared at him, bewildered. He was expecting to be grounded, or have his schedule filled to the brink, but his father was passive.

Gabriel shrugged, "There's things you don't understand, quite yet. A lot of things in my life are changing right now, and you're going to witness a good majority of it." He smiled a smile that Adrien hadn't seen since he was a child, "The last three years, Adrien? A thing of the past."

"Father…"

"I have to go, Adrien. I'm late enough as is." He told him, heading out the door, "Love you, be good."

"Love you too." Adrien answered, watching him go.

* * *

Marinette had dosed off. She kept sleeping, as it was easier that way to conserve her energy and fight the pain of hunger. Still, whenever she heard a noise, she was jolted awake. "Chat?" She called out before letting out a small curse. _I should know better._

He heard his low chuckle echo through the room. "Sorry to disappoint." Gabriel murmured, setting his briefcase down on a small wooden desk to her left. "I did bring food, however. Last night's leftover's."

"The Agreste's keep leftovers?"

Gabriel walked over to her, and damn, he could feel her blood run cold. He was carrying a small steak knife. In a quick motion, he released her left arm, and handed her a cold Tupperware containing leftover pasta and a fork. "Don't think about untying yourself." He reminded her, "I can easily transform and either overpower you, or turn you into an akuma."

She stared up at him, "You realize I've been a superhero for almost a year, and I've got the athleticism of an Olympian, right?" Still, she was starving, she glanced down, poking her fork at the noodles. "I can outrun you."

He huffed, "And what? Return to Paris with no miraculous? Please, you're waiting for that partner of yours just as much as I am."

Marinette sighed, not particularly wanting to play in his back-and-forth. She was waiting for tomorrow.

* * *

 _AN: Thank you for all the reviews! XOXO_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Parents Always Know

* * *

Mari's eyes popped open, was it morning/? Does that mean one more day? Despite facing the stained glass butterfly window, she had lost a good track of time. Gabriel was walking towards the desk, his back to hers. He didn't know she was awake yet.

He opened a drawer in the desk, checking inside. Marinette shut her eyes, trying to keep her breathing regular. She realized that it wasn't her heartrate or breathing that he would pick up on, but her emotions.

"Nooroo." His voice was almost pleasant.

"Yes, Master?"

"I need you to hide in my sleeve today, in case I need to transform quicker than usual." He told the purple kwami. "Chat Noir has the address now, so in theory, he could strike at any time."

Mari hoped that her good luck was enough, that Adrien had found her letter. The plan wouldn't succeed otherwise.

He sat at the desk, and sighed, pulling out his laptop, resigning himself to working all night and day in this abandoned, refurbished church. What a terrible way to spend a Tuesday. Still, he was sure that if he asked nicely, Marinette would help. Was she awake? He looked over to her, her legs curled up on the chair, her eyes shutting the world out. It was five in the morning, there was no reason for her to be awake, anyhow.

It took him about half an hour to realize that Nooroo was not actually in his sleeve pocket. He looked up from his computer, and saw the purple kwami floating in front of the sleeping Marinette. The tiny god was studying her. Believe it or not, this was the farthest away Nooroo had ever gone from Gabriel, who typically kept him under close watch.

"Nooroo." He stated. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking. This is the girl who's saved Paris on many occasions. Your replacement, really."

"I'm irreplaceable as a hero, Nooroo."

The purple kwami floated back to his desk, "Gabriel."

"Master. Or sir. We've discussed this." He took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose.

" _Gabriel_ , I don't think obtaining the black cat miraculous and the ladybug miraculous will be enough." The kwami blinked, "Celine has the peacock miraculous, and she's in hiding. I don't think you'll find her."

"I will be as good as a god once I get the black cat miraculous, Nooroo, I think I can find her." He replied.

"And then what?" Nooroo demanded. He was always more emotional, "Those miraculouses won't make her forgive you or come home."

He stared at the kwami, "I refuse to give up, Nooroo. She's my wife and I love her and I just ant things to work."

"I hope you know what you're doing." He told Gabriel, "I hope ruining Marinette's life and your partnership with her in business is worth it."

"Nooroo, she's just a kid. In a couple years, I'm sure our relationship will be fine." He replied, "She loves my son, so things will have to be fine if she wants things to work."

* * *

Adrien was at his computer, re-reading the e-mail to his Chat account. This was the twelfth time he had read it. He reviewed the attachment, a picture of Marinette, sleeping on a comfy armchair. She didn't seem like she was in pain, at least. She looked almost peaceful.

 _Chat Noir,_

 _Below you'll find an address. This is where you will go if you want to save Ladybug, aka Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I expect you to be there at midnight tonight, no exceptions. I will know if you are early, and there will be consequences if you deviate from my instructions. Consequences that a Miraculous Cure cannot hope to fix._

 _Until then,_

 _Hawkmoth_

He shut off his computer, luckily, it was later in the afternoon, around 6PM. There was a knock at the door.

"Adrien?" Nathalie opened the door, "Dinner's ready."

The boy shook his head, "I'm not really hungry, but thank you."

She swallowed. He had hardly eaten breakfast, and she wasn't entirely sure if he had eaten lunch. If she watched him practically waste away, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. Nathalie was sure that she was the only one knew just how _quickly_ Adrien metabolized, therefore, she was the only who knew just how dangerous it was that he wasn't eating.

She chalked up the metabolism to his fencing lessons, his workout regimen that was just as tough as his mother's once was. Gabriel was always fit as well.

"You need to eat something." She told him pointedly. "If you don't you'll start burning muscle, and then..." There were always consequences.

He stood, and sighed, realizing that if he didn't force himself to eat something, he wouldn't be able to square off against Hawkmoth. "Yeah. You want to join me? I want to talk to you."

Pretty, soon, Nathalie and Adrien sat across from each other, picking at some sort of stroganoff. He glanced up at her, as she took a sip of wine.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Swallowing, he dared, "My father is still out of the house, right?"

Her eyes narrowed, _doesn't he know that I'll just tell him all of this later?_ "Yes."

"Do you know where mom is hiding?" He whispered quietly. Of course, Adrien already knew, but if Nathalie knew, it was a loose end.

She practically sputtered on her wine, and stared at him, "No one knows, Adrien."

 _Well, Nathalie's lying._ "Hmm." Adrien took a spoonful of the noodles, "Well, if you don't know, could you tell her to expect a visitor between now and the next few days?"

He figured that Nathalie could get in contact with her, whereas he couldn't.

Biting her lip, "If I _could_ get in contact with her, I suppose I'd tell her, but she would probably ask how her visitor would be getting there, and how they would escape their security detail."

He leaned back, "If you could get in contact with my mother, you should tell her that this visitor constantly escapes their security detail, and it's a non-issue."

Nathalie let out a sigh, "She'll also ask for a reason."

Adrien blinked, "I'm not the one visiting her, actually."

Suddenly, it was as though she was in a beast-like mode. "Your father can't know where she is, Adrien. She doesn't want to see or hear from him."

"It's not him, actually." He answered, "I figured that if my mother, the supermodel, can successfully hide somewhere for three years, so can Marinette while the steam blows over."

A warm smile spread over Nathalie's face, _how did he grow up to be such a good kid?_ "I'll let her know, Adrien." She stood, "Luckily, your father is MIA, doing work. Getting in contact with Celine…is tough, so I have to leave for the rest of the afternoon. Will you be fine?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I will. Thanks, Nathalie." Adrien watched her leave, wondering what his mother would think of meeting the girl of his dreams.

* * *

If Marinette Dupain-Cheng could describe her time spent in Hawkmoth's layer, she would describe it as a lot of sleeping, most likely an after effect of that weird akuma. She was, tired. It was exhausting being on edge, waiting for Chat Noir to arrive, waiting for Hawkmoth to release an akuma, waiting to be tortured, waiting for Gabriel to return to his evil lair.

Marinette glanced down at the blue scarf on her neck, Gabriel must've put it there. Of course, when she saw the black butterfly doping about on the scarf _she_ made for Adrien, she absolutely screamed, her wrists were rubbed raw against the constricting ropes. Where had her strength gone?

 _Count down from ten. It'll be okay._ "Get. It. Off." She told him, through gritted teeth.

"It's just insurance, it's not going to do anything, for now." Hawkmoth replied, standing by the wall opposite her, under the stained glass. "Only a half hour now, so, Mari, why don't you consider telling me who Chat Noir is?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't want to anger him, "Won't you find out soon enough?"

He sighed, "I've been looking into both of your identities since you began, Marinette. I would love to know as soon as possible."

"You got lucky." She mumbled bitterly. If she could turn back time, if only.

"You're an amateur." He responded dryly, "Madame Peacock and I would never so much as dare to do the stupid things that you two do. Transforming in an office with a camera? Ridiculous."

"You didn't have to fight Hawkmoth on a somewhat-weekly basis." She spat back, "You and her had all the time in the world, rescuing cats from trees and helping the fire department. You had time to learn and get better with practice. We had to learn by doing."

 _Good, get angry, I might need to akumatize you later._ He thought. "Fair enough, still a rookie mistake on your part. It really justifies me taking your miraculous from you, no?" Hawkmoth was about to add that if she told Chat Noir who he was, he would make her akuma possession that the more painful, but realized that Marinette wasn't that girl.

In fact, he as fairly sure that no matter what happened today, Marinette would never tell a soul who was behind the mask of the biggest supervillain in all of Paris. There was too much to lose, Gabriel realized. She would most likely lose the love of her life (God, he should've raised his son to be less naïve), and a business partner, and her business partner's business partners.

"Nothing I do justifies your behavior." She answered, "You betrayed the miraculous so that Chat Noir and I would have to get powers in the first place."

"Quid pro quo, Marinette." Hawkmoth smirked, "Do you honestly regret becoming ladybug? Was it really that bad for you? I quite enjoyed being a teenager with superpowers."

She was left speechless.

* * *

Chat Noir didn't know what he was doing, but he sat on the ledge of her window. He raised his leather-clad fist, and rapped on the glass.

The girl, hunched over her computer screen, perked up, and whirled towards the window in question. Across the room, the boy, her boyfriend, sat at another computer, his back to Chat, his headphones on full blast, editing.

Alya swatted Nino on the shoulder before walking over to the window and opening it. "Chat! Uh—come in, I guess."

Nino swiveled in his chair, checking his watch, "Dude. It's 11:00 at night, what are you doing? You should be where Marinette is."

He sighed, and leaned against the wall, glancing at Alya, who had already pulled out her camera, connecting it to a live feed. "The Ladyblog must be pretty busy."

"We've been editing and moderating all night." Nino told him. "Well, now I'm updating the servers to account for the traffic."

"So, Chat Noir." Alya prodded, "What brought you here?"

Inhaling, he answered, "Listen, I know you're Marinette's best friend, which is why I came. Ladybug is—"

"As I've repeated on my blog _multiple times._ " Alya interrupted, "We don't have concrete evidence that Marinette is Ladybug yet." You could tell that it was heavily rehearsed.

"It's okay, Alya." Chat Noir told her gently, "Marinette is Ladybug. I'm going to talk to her parents and I wanted to tell you, so you wouldn't be surprised tomorrow. I'm putting her into hiding."

Alya and Nino's eyes almost popped out of their respective heads. "What? She's leaving Paris?" She cried, jumping over the bed and landing in front of him, "What about Paris? What about school? You can't just let her leave and run away from her problems!"

He sighed, "I know her pretty well, Alya. I promise you, she's going to want to lay low for a while."

Nino narrowed his eyes, "What about Hawkmoth, dude?"

Chat Noir sighed, "I'll figure it out." He opened the window. "I just, wanted to make sure you knew. I have to go." Slipping out, he added, "Also, if you see Adrien Agreste, tell him that she'll keep in touch."

"Now hold on." Alya pulled him back by the tail, " _You're_ also okay with Marinette dating Adrien Agreste?"

"Clearly." He answered, blinking, "Too many people were reading into my relationship as Chat Noir with Marinette. Something had to be done. Marinette has been missing for three days and Hawkmoth could legitimately succeed in his plans and all people seem to care about is who she was really dating? It's pointless and it's no one's business."

Chat Noir escaped into the night, heading towards a familiar bakery.

* * *

Sabine came to Paris to study the miraculouses. Meeting Tom Dupain? Accident, an unexpected, happy accident. When Madame Peacock and Hawkmoth first appeared in Paris, Sabine was studying miraculouses in Tibet. She was a budding anthropology student, and travelling to France was her biggest dream. Soon after arriving, she realized that her biggest dream was Tom, and the bakery, and a family, and eventually, Marinette.

So, when she discovered that her daughter was a miraculous holder, she was surprised, and extremely pleased. Knowing that her daughter had what it took, a pure heart, a strong will, a sense of justice, to be a hero? That filled her with the joy and pride that only a mother could have.

Now, she and Tom were sitting on the couch, her head on his shoulder. Now, she was mentally cursing the miraculouses, cursing the man who took her daughter, cursing the man who gave her the miraculous in the first place. Now, she cursed herself for every idolizing him, for studying him, for thinking that he was the best hero in Paris.

They heard a crash on the roof, and looked up, "It's probably Chat Noir." Tom murmured. He was trying to keep the two of them steady. Sabine was a wreck, and now that she was too exhausted to feel anymore, he was left trying to keep her from crying her eyes out.

And soon enough, Chat Noir was walking down the stairs carefully, "Mr. and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng?"

"Adrien." Sabine replied. "Is it good news?"

He paused for a moment, realized that they knew, and got over it immediately, "I have some good news, I guess. I'm going to rescue Marinette in about fifteen minutes, and I found a place for her to hide out while things die down." He leaned against the wall.

Tom offered him a plate of macarons, "She'll stop by here before she goes? Where is she going?"

"My mother's." Adrien replied. "Yeah, I'm getting her to pack a bag, and then I'm going to her on her way." He paused. "Do you have any camembert, by any chance?"

"Yeah, in the fridge." Sabine replied numbly. The thought of her daughter going off the grid was only making her retreat inwards.

"D-Do you mind if I feed my kwami?" He asked, detransforming, catching Plagg in his hand. "This is Plagg, he's the reason I have superpowers. Marinette has one two who eats cookies. Mine eats smelly cheese."

She looked at the black thing, "Yeah, that's fine."

"Oh…you saint of a woman." The thing purred, immediately zipping towards the fridge.

Adrien sighed, "I'm sorry about what people are saying about Mari." He sat down, on a chair near them, "I—I'm considering revealing my identity as well, so that everyone stops accusing her of being someone she's not."

Tom looked at him suspiciously, "You guys are a team, and honestly? Our daughter is going to get crucified by the press as soon as she comes back to Paris. Even if you reveal yourself. And you're already a celebrity. Marinette wouldn't want you to make things harder on yourself. She'd want you to enjoy the anonymity that Chat Noir allows you."

"Yeah, my Adrien's always been kind of an idiot." Plagg responded, landing on Sabine's shoulder. The mother scratched under his chin, eliciting a purr, "Adrien, we gotta go."

"Right." The hero stood back up, and transformed, "I'll bring Marinette back safe and sound, I promise."

They stood, and enveloped him into a tight hug, "We're so proud of you, we're so proud of the both of you." They murmured to him.

"How long did you know?" Chat held back tears, this wasn't a time for theatrics. This wasn't a time for emotions.

"Parents always know." Sabine replied, pulling away, "Be safe."

Chat Noir swallowed. It was time to find Marinette.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Like Father, Like Son

* * *

Chat Noir didn't waste time when it came to people he loved. Every ounce of swagger? Gone. Every joke and pun? Gone. All that was left? Focus. Determination.

The glass window was open, and he didn't waste any time flying through, landing, sliding, falling with style into Marinette's legs.

He looked up, her legs were still there, sitting in the chair, her thighs, her torso, her arms, _my scarf? That shouldn't be here?_ There was a black butterfly resting on it, emanating dark energy. The black cat sprung up, daring to untie her.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Chat growled, swiping the ropes from around her wrists and ankles.

She stood, stretching, ready for hell. Half of her hoped that her knight wouldn't come. But here he was. "I'm fine, chaton." Her voice was as gentle as it could be, given the circumstances.

"Well. I appreciate your punctuality." A voice called to him.

Chat Noir turned, "So it's you, then?"

Marinette took a step to the side, her eyes narrowed, "Don't let him intimidate you."

Hawkmoth smiled slightly, aware that she wouldn't do a thing, "Why don't you show some respect? You don't want to get possessed, do you?"

"I have more tricks up my sleeve than you realize, old man." She answered. Still, they both knew how terrified she was. Her fear was almost unbearable. Could she really fight an akuma?

His eyes fell back to the boy, who was quite tall. Taller than Marinette. Taller than the villain realized, "So, Chat Noir, how about it? You can hand over your miraculous, or fight Marinette. Keep in mind that she'll be in a great amount of pain if I force an akuma to possess her."

Chat stared at him, considering his options. He pulled out his baton, extending it out to a staff. "Counter-offer. I fight you, defeat you, we leave."

"I don't negotiate." His fist tightened. "Try again."

His eyes narrowed, catlike, "If you don't think you can defeat me, that's fine. I always figured you were a coward."

The villian smiled slightly at the boy's arrogance. Goodness, that brought him back to when he was a child, playing superhero in Paris.

Marinette swatted away the butterfly, moving towards the desk. "Son of a bitch!" The akuma caught up with her, landing on her scarf again. "Chat, make a decision before I get possessed."

Hawkmoth sighed, possessing her would take longer than expected, "You want to save her, don't you?"

He swallowed, "Not if it means letting you succeed."

"So be it."

The akuma pierced Marinette.

Chat caught her as she collapsed, flailing, fighting, "Marinette! Bugaboo, come on!" Mari and him wrestled for the scarf, which was still around her neck. When he finally wrestled away the scarf, he realized that it was a decoy.

Over her chest was a purple outline of a butterfly, a glowing tattoo that marked her skin. She threw herself from him, sliding into the desk. Coughing, and sputtering, as though the akuma had filled her lungs with bile.

Every negative emotion within her began to swell like balloons.

"Who are you without Ladybug?" She heard him whisper in her ear, "You're just a clumsy girl who isn't good enough to help anyone. Why don't you prove us all wrong, hmm? Everyone thinks you're worthless now, Marinette. Prove me wrong, and get me his miraculous, then I'll give you the world. Adrien, a career, money. Just think." His voice had taken on a more threatening tone, "We can be a team."

Her eyes shot open, dark and red, and then flashed back to a bright blue. "Obtain his miraculous? Just ask for it yourself you low-life creton." The pain in her voice was transparent, her eyes were red with tears and her forehead was flooded with sweat. Chat held onto her weakly, ready to drop her at a moment's notice in case she were to attack.

Hawkmoth raised his eyebrows, "Come on, Chat, you know she's in pain. Why don't you give up?"

"She's still fighting you." He replied defiantly, and carrying her to the desk. _He's trying to distract me, it's him I have to fight._ He laid her down, as she struggled, hot and cold. He turned to the black-suited man, "I'll repeat myself. You and I, one-on-one."

Hawkmoth took a step towards him, "What makes you think that I want to fight you?"

"Because you're a fighter." He answered, "I've done my homework. You fight with the same style and flair that I do, hand-to-hand combat. You fought alongside—"

"You'll be wise not to say her name in front of me." Hawkmoth cut the boy off. "The amount of pressure she's in will kill her, boy. I suggest you hand over your miraculous."

He felt his blood run cold, as he took several steps back from her, her nose was now bleeding. Her fingernails dug into the desk, holding herself down. Chat could see the vein on her temple pulsing wildly.

"Chat!" She cried out, "Don't fight him."

He turned back to her, "Mari—I have to. I don't care who he is to you. Your life is on the line. He's as good as dead."

"No!" She stared into his eyes, her eyes were red, she was transforming into a butterfly-clad villain, "There's a way to defeat him! I already told you how."

Her transformation was complete. He could see it in her eyes. Marinette was gone. She leapt towards him, holding a staff, not unlike his, "How about this kitty? I defeat you, and then, I defeat him!" She took a swing, twirling her staff like a baton. She was in a skin tight suit, not unlike her Ladybug costume, except that she looked like a butterfly, her chest was bare so show the mark of where the akuma had hit her.

Chat jumped away, closer to Hawkmoth. "Shit. Shit. Marinette! Come back!"

She flew after him, tackling him to the ground. Her hands were on his wrists, pressing them into the floor. He pushed her back, as her strength was significantly lower without the miraculous. She landed against the wall with a solid bang, kicking back off, flying towards him again. He hoped out of the way, and she buzzed past him, cursing.

Marinette, possessed, could feel herself, pulling against the mental chains that Hawkmoth had placed on her, screaming her lungs out to be free, fighting for her very life.

"I already succeeded, boy."

She leapt towards him, hitting him in the side of his hip, sending him flying into a wall. His ears twitched, _there's no way I can purify the akuma._ His eyes narrowed, there was a way to succeed, then? He couldn't fight her, he knew. Chat couldn't take his staff and hit her, he couldn't control her, or hurt her. That was Marinette.

The akuma stopped, flipping over the armchair, and standing on the cushion. He saw a flash of her, just for a second, "Chat…I—I'm sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine." The black cat twirled his staff, ready for her to strike.

She shook her head, and buried it into her hands, growling, "No! I should've—I-I should've."

The purple-suited antagonist momentarily released some control back to her, not enough for the akuma to leave her, though. "Chat Noir, you're making her suffer." Hawkmoth murmured, "It's all your fault, too. She's in so much pain."

"No. It's what I deserve." Her voice was transquil, calm over her sobbing. Her blue eyes faded away. She was gone once more, diving towards Chat, balancing on her staff as she leapt forward, meaning to hit him with her purple staff.

Parrying, he blocked her attack, ready to spar.

Hawkmoth watched the two, evenly matched, teenagers. It was only a matter of time before one of them got the upper hand, or Chat Noir was exhausted. The boy fought with a style that was formal and reserved. He didn't move to strike Marinette, but he sure as hell defending himself against her. She was stronger, akumatized, than she was as a miraculous holder.

Chat knocked her off her feet, pleading with her, "Marinette! Keep fighting the akuma! You're better than this!" He darted away as she sprung back up, chasing him across the room.

He scaled the wall, avoiding her, before landing in front of the akumatized Marinette, who looked amused at the sight. Still, she took a step away from Chat. This wasn't going away anytime soon, and he couldn't just use his cataclysm on her. He turned to face Hawkmoth, but hadn't looked to him yet. For now, the safest bet was the keep his eyes on Mari, in case she decided to strike.

Sighing, he glanced to Hawkmoth, across the room, controlling her every move, no doubt. "De-transform her and we have a deal, Hawkmoth." There was no point to it all, anymore.

"Clever. You might be smarter than her."

Marinette collapsed, coughing up a white butterfly, which promptly disappeared into thin air, she looked up. He helped her up. "What did you do?" She rasped.

"A deal's a deal, boy." He snapped his fingers, twenty black butterflies surrounded Marinette, landing on her arms, legs, body, and head. "Hand over your miraculous, or we'll start over."

She glanced to him, "It'll be okay," she promised.

The black cat hissed, "How do I know we'll be safe?" He took a few steps, halfway between Hawkmoth and Marinette. "How do I know that your plans don't involve harming us in the end?"

He narrowed his eyes, "You don't." In an instant, he was in front of Chat Noir. His hand on his shoulder.

It felt familiar. Hawkmoth stared him down, trying his best to be intimidating. Still, the boy was brave, the boy had guts.

"You don't want to lose her, boy." He whispered, menacingly, "Trust me. I have no intentions of ripping apart lovers."

"Chat." Marinette stated. "Trust me." The butterflies sent chills down her spine as they shifted expectantly.

In an instant, he took off his ring, de-transforming.

In an instant, he was staring up at Hawkmoth, as Adrien Agreste. In the next instant, all of the black butterflies around Marinette were gone. Hawkmoth's hand recoiled, as though he were touching acid.

 _I need to recover. I need to get a grip._ He thought. His son? The boy he had kept homeschooled until this past year? The same one, with a security detail, an itemized schedule, and a high-profile job? Everything within him was spinning, because for the first time in Gabriel's life, he didn't have a clue. The thought of tearing his son down this way felt disgusting. Had he not been supportive of Adrien? Had he not loved him enough? Why him, Fu? Why was he given the miraculous? Why did that _man_ find it within himself to force a father and son to fight one another?

"Adrien, the precious model, you're Chat Noir?" Hawkmoth did his best to sound amused, but he could feel his heart breaking.

The boy twitched slightly, "You don't know me."

His eyes narrowed. "Well—"

Marinette wanted to rip her hair out, she was sure, she was damn sure that that would be enough. _I can't do this,_ she thought, _I can't tell Adrien who his father is._ She thought that she loathed Gabriel Agreste as much as she possibly could.

She was wrong, and lately, she was constantly feeling as though she was wrong. Everything within her was burning with hatred.

"—A deal is still a deal, boy. Hand over your miraculous." Hawkmoth held out his hand patiently. He was a good kid, he would keep his word.

Adrien held out his palm, and Hawkmoth's eyes shined. The black ring rested in the crease of his middle and ring finger. Gabriel was so close to having his family back together, back to normality and breakfasts and a regular sleeping schedule.

Things were cut short, however, as his gloved hand reached out to take the ring.

Adrien's hand closed around the ring into a tight first, "Mari! Catch!" He threw it across the room.

Mari slid across the floor, rolled, and jumped into the air, her fingers extended. There was no amount of luck in the world to account for the ring landing perfectly onto her pointer finger. In a second, Plagg appeared, dazed, and before he had time to get in a witty remark, she had already told him to transform her.

There were two things that Adrien would never forget seeing.

One, his girlfriend in a tight, black leather suit with sheer cutouts around her hips, calves, and torso, wearing black ears with black bowed ribbons at the bottom, and a completely different air of confidence. She knew she was attractive, that her curves were killer, and that most guys wanted her, and that most girls wanted to be her.

The second sight? The look of shock on Hawkmoth's face when Marinette, jumped between him and Adrien, forcing him back with her black baton.

Hawkmoth was still in shock, fumbling backwards. He stared into her bright blue eyes, now like sapphire sclera lenses. "Let's play a little game, Adrien." She purred, though, there was no mistake, her anger flooded the room. "Take three guesses. If you guess his identity correctly, I'll consider sparing him."

Adrien's hand was on her shoulder, the rawness, the intensity, "Marinette, you don't have to fight him. Let's get your miraculous and go."

"I refuse." She spat back, "He can't hold his identity over me. Hawkmoth, if you don't tell him, I will."

She jumped, landing on the desk, before hopping down and opening the drawer, where the jewelry box resided. Pulling out the box, she leapt back to Adrien.

"Hawkmoth, I'm waiting." She told him, taking off the black cat miraculous, and handing it to Adrien. She put her earrings on, and quickly transformed back into Ladybug.

Hawkmoth swallowed, and pulled himself together. He de-transformed. "Happy now?"

Adrien's eyes widened, "Plagg, transform me!" in a flash of bright light, he was back in his second skin, which now would serve as an emotional shield.

"Adrien, now really isn't the time for—" Gabriel started.

"Ladybug, let's go." He told his partner flatly.

She blinked, but transformed, "Adrien—"

"Chat Noir, princess." His voice was low. "Let's go." His arm encircled her waist, and he jumped out of the window, extending his baton out with him.

Gabriel watched him leave, and let out a groan, and murmured, "Celine, what the hell do I do now?"

* * *

"Adrien."

He bounced from roof to roof, holding onto her tightly. They were getting closer and closer to the bakery. She felt his heart racing, his fingers were trembling. Marinette could easily fly from building to building, despite the shortness of breath and the soreness of her muscles, but he didn't make any moves to let her go.

Still, he said nothing.

"Adrien." She said again, pressing her hand harder into his chest, he had been ignoring her.

 _I need to get out of here,_ he thought. Adrien could feel himself retreating, shutting the world out, rebuilding walls that his lady had broken down one by one. Brick by brick, he knew that protecting himself was his newest priority. Ladybug, for the briefest of moments, was second.

He landed on her balcony, and groaned at the barrage of reporters down on the street. The flash of cameras practically burned his skin as he opened the door and ushered her inside. "I have bad news." He informed her flatly.

She sat on the bed, her parents were downstairs, but they would wait. "I'm sure it's not as bad as what you just found out." She murmured.

Adrien ignored her, and opened her closet, pulling out a small duffle. "The world knows your Ladybug."

Her heart stopped, and her eyes bulged out of her head, "What?"

"Marinette?" Tom and Sabine opened the trap door. They rush her, and suddenly, Mari is buried between the two of them, hugging her tightly. Sabine is stroking her hair, which was caked in sweat, "We're so proud of you, lovebug."

Adrien made a mental note, adding 'lovebug' to his running list of nicknames for Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette's eyes widen, "So, everyone knows, then?" She pulled away, and stared at Chat, "What did you do?"

He shook his head, "Most people drew that conclusion. Hawkmoth—" Chat suppressed an animalistic growl, "—only asked for my miraculous after kidnapping you, implying that he already had your miraculous."

"Great." She muttered. "Why the duffle though?"

Chat smiled gently, "I have a safe house lined up, I figured that since everyone knows who you are, you'd like to lay low for a few weeks." He handed her the bag, "Given the circumstances, we should both go."

"What?" Her eyes widened, "Where?"

"My mother's, Marinette. If she can hide where she's been hiding for three years, so can we until things chill out." He told her.

"I…I can't leave Chat!" She told him pointedly, "You can miss school, you can miss work, I can't."

His eyes widened, "You're not leaving because of a contract with my father?"

Tom coughed, the situation clearly beyond the two parents, "We're going to leave you two alone. Mari, if you do go, say goodbye?"

"Yeah sweetheart, no more leaving without saying goodbye."

She put her hand to her face, "Yeah, mom, that's fine. I'll talk to you guys later." The tone in her voice was clear: Marinette had no intention of leaving any time soon.

"We love you." Tom told her sheepishly.

"I love you too." She muttered, her annoyance transparent.

Chat took a step towards her, and put his arms around her, hugging her tightly, "I was so scared, princess. I thought I'd lose you."

"Gabriel had no intentions of harming me." She replied softly, "He knows what I mean to you, he knows what you mean to me."

"Ladybug…" His voice trailed, the hurt in his voice permeated the air. His father had been in his way for a long time, and being Chat Noir had been freeing, to say the least. Now, a half-hour after discovering that Gabriel stood in the way of Chat Noir? He didn't know how to cope with this information.

Marinette blinked up at him, as he de-transformed, and realized just how exhausted he was. His eyes were ringed with red, and his skin was so dry. "You should talk to him."

"I have nothing to say to him." He replied, "We should go, Marinette. You should meet my mother at some point, why not now?"

"I can't go, Adrien."

"Well I can't stay!" He didn't raise his voice, he was too exhausted. "I can't go home."

She sat on the bed, "Well, why don't you stay here?", she asked sweetly. Her hand patted the bedspread, "I'm sure it'll be alright."

He sighed, at least he was wearing pajama pants, like he always did whenever he did night patrols and midnight rendezvous. Sitting on the bed, he leaned one her, making a point to topple her on her mattress, sending her flailing into her pillows.

"Ah! H-Hey!" She fumbled, trying to push his dead weight off of her.

"Mhmm?" He purred. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be such a burden."

 _Still not making puns?_ She thought, _I'll take a play on words, at least._ "Kitty, we need to talk about what happened. Are you mad at me?"

"No," He whispered, "I wish you had told me about your suspicions. I wish we had confronted him together, like the team we're supposed to be. But anger? No, not at you."

Adrien got under the covers, and he pulled her close, under his arm, so that her head rested in her chest. One of her hands rested over his chest. It was so natural, like they'd been doing this for half a century. She felt his heart beating, and realized just how synchronized they truly were.

When she realized that he wasn't going to add anything, she replied, "Adrien…you should talk about this."

"And have emotions?" He replied, amused, "He can probably feel them all the way from the mansion, Marinette. The sooner I shut off, the better." Adrien looked down, her hair was in a state of disarray, but through the locks, he could see the crease between her eyebrows deepen.

"Don't say that." She told him, "Now we know. Sure, he senses our emotions. We can figure out how to use that to our advantage."

Adrien's thumb trailed over her bare shoulder, drawing circles, "He's already thought three-steps ahead, lovebug. And in all honesty, I don't think we should fight him anymore. He sends out akumas to draw us out."

"Something tells me that he's not going to be akumatizing anyone for at least a few weeks." She responded dryly.

"Good. I can't wait to see my mother, anyway."

Marinette began to speak, but stopped herself. After all, she had been processing this information for several days. Adrien only had a few hours. Of course he wanted to leave.

She hoped that, by the morning, he would change his mind.

* * *

Gabriel didn't know what he was doing. He hadn't been to the studio in a decade. But a decade ago, he had a complete family. He knocked at the back door, the door for miraculous users.

Wayzz was awake, at least, and peaked out from behind a curtain, his little green eyes widening. Gabriel suppressed an eye roll as the green kwami flew away in what could be described as a panicky flight pattern

"What are we doing here?" The lavender kwami was...exhaused, and rested in Gabriel's coat pocket, wrapped in a handkerchief.

"I just want to talk to him, Nooroo, calm down." He was far too exhausted to get into an argument with the old man anyway.

The door opened, and the tiny man smiled slightly, "Gabriel, what a surprise."

"You haven't aged." He complimented him awkwardly. What was there to say to a man he once considered a father-in-law? How was he supposed to act, when they both were so connected to Madame Peacock that the weight of her absence was suffocating?

Fu shot him a mystical look, "The curse of my miraculous, it extends my lifespan. You'd think, with your curse, you'd feel more emotions." There was a pause, "But you're as emotionless as ever."

Gabriel stepped inside the small apartment, which hadn't changed much. There were still pictures of Fu and Celine from when she was a child, when they still travelled around the world, looking for miraculouses. There were framed newspaper clippings of old heroes, the woman shining brightly, the man a shadow of who he once was. The pictures used to fill Gabriel with something like pride, but they stood on the shelves as bitter reminders of a life he could never have again.

"I feel everyone else's emotions, Fu, I don't need to be feeling mine as well."

Fu leaned on his cane, "So, what's the real reason?" He pointed to Gabriel's ring, "Ready to hand that over?"

His hands went into his pockets smoothly, and then he realized that he'd never been more terrified in his life, "I wanted to talk about Adrien."

"Your son?" Fu pursed his lips, "I haven't seen him since he was a baby, Gabriel…isn't he a model?"

His eyes narrowed, and he felt a scoff at the back of his throat, which he cleared quickly, "He's also Chat Noir."

 _My son is Chat Noir._ He thought. It kept hitting him like a bag of bricks. Was he still processing? Is this processing? The last traumatic thing that happened to him was Celine's disappearance, and that was…how did he react to that? _That's right, I got my son to become a model, and buried myself in work, keeping him busy as well._ The boy somehow managed to master piano, become fluent in Mandarin-Chinese (as well as several individual dialects, god, Adrien is impressive), establish himself as a competitive fencer, model, and attend school.

He's _also_ Chat Noir?

Don't get things confused, Gabriel suspected Adrien at first. A blond-haired, green eyed boy traipsing across rooftops? He was just like Peacock, boisterous, cocky, clever. And, his parents were both superheroes. It was only natural, but Adrien didn't fit that modus operandi, so to speak.

Because he was a good kid, he didn't stray, he didn't wander too far. Hell, Adrien, at fifteen, had never given his security the slip (Gabriel often gave security the slip, before and after obtaining his miraculous). Gabriel had raised his son to be appropriate, polite, and well-behaved. Nothing like Chat. Gabriel had always figured that if Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir ever met in person, they would probably hate each other on sight.

But, _plot twist, Gabriel,_ they're the same person.

Fu frowned, leaving Gabriel in thought for a moment, before answering, "I'm not at liberty to reveal identities of miraculous wielders. You know that."

Gabriel scowled, "You gave him a miraculous, knowing that he'd be against me?"

"You used Nooroo's powers in order to draw out the black cat and ladybug miraculouses." Fu replied, pursing his lips, "What was the phrase that you and Celine always used? You _lost your cool_."

He sighed, the words always stung him nowadays, "Listen, it's really late." It was past two in the morning, now. "I wanted to ask you if you could get in contact with Celine."

"You know I can't." Fu answered.

Gabriel looked at him. Goodness, it was difficult to gauge miraculous users like Fu. When they were transformed, he couldn't read them at all, but when they were civilians, it was like reading anyone else. Except Fu. Fu knew that he was dealing with Hawkmoth.

That's how he discovered that Marinette knew. She too, had built walls around him. And now Adrien would do the exact same thing.

So now, he was trying to traverse the emotional maze that was Master Fu. Was he lying? Gabriel gave up when he realized that it was pointless, "Fu, my wife would know what to do right about now. Does she know that Adrien is Chat Noir?"

"Why would she?" Fu answered plainly, "Parents typically know, but it's not as though she's here to parent him."

Gabriel sighed, "It would've been nice if you had asked her first before giving my son a miraculous."

The old man chuckled slightly, "Should I have asked your parents, Gabriel?"

His eyes widened slightly, his parents, the ones who were in and out the door, travelling everywhere and nowhere. "Are you trying to say that my parents were miraculous users?"

"Not at all, but you understand how ridiculous it would've been to ask them first." Fu told him, "They weren't present in your life, either."

"I'm _present_ in my son's life." Gabriel snapped, but the words were empty. _Not present enough to know that he's Chat Noir, apparently._

* * *

It was early morning, and Marinette forgot where she was.

Home in her bed, with the faint smell of breakfast wafting from the kitchen below. The distinct city noises drifted through the windows, and she could hear the open bakery on the first floor, bustling with orders and customers.

She must've separated from Adrien partway through the night. Her hands trailed over to his side of the bed, searching for him to hold onto. Marinette's fingers curled around empty sheets.

Her eyes shot open. Adrien was nowhere in sight.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: A New Beginning

* * *

Alya sat at her desk, sullen, silent, tracing circles into her homework absentmindedly. Nino was saying something to her about catching a movie, you know, "Something to take your mind off things!", but she wasn't completely listening.

It was Wednesday morning. Alya adored Wednesdays. Hawkmoth rarely acted on Mondays or Tuesdays. There wasn't an article on the Ladyblog all about the days the villain typically struck (it could bias the results if Hawkmoth read her notes) but she had been gathering data to establish statistical normalcy.

The journalist rarely discussed her interest in superhero-based statistics. Or statistics.

Wednesday typically had a 40% chance of Hawkmoth akumatizing someone. The percentage rose higher and higher towards the weekend, and then crashed on Monday and Tuesday. It made sense, Alya figured, no one likes Mondays.

Alya figured that there was a less than 5% chance that Marinette would show her face. After all, Chat Noir had dropped her off at her home around one in the morning. Also, if she thought about it, there was a statistical normality that her best friend was always less likely to show up to school after an akuma attack.

Then again, there was a lot of bias that would affect the day's data.

The journalist also guessed that there was a less than 20% chance that Adrien would come to class, as well. It was all over the news that Chat left Marinette's balcony around 7 in the morning. The Casanova (or _Catsonova_ , if you asked the hero) must've stayed the night.

So when Marinette showed up ten minutes before the bell, and Adrien didn't, Alya was shocked. Mari's chin was jutted out more, her eyes a bit more daring. But it was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, definitely. If there as any evidence of her ordeal for the past few days, it was probably the bags under her eyes, peaking through concealer that didn't cover enough.

"Marinette!" Alya stood up, knocking her phone out of her hand, spiraling towards her best friend.

The pig-tailed girl caught the phone with ease, with the reflexes and calm of any superhero. "Yes, I'm here."

"I—I thought, Chat said you'd be gone." She stammered.

Sliding into her, desk, she pulled out her notebook, "He doesn't make those decisions for me." Her voice raised a little, "Listen, I'm sure this all must be very exciting, but I really just need space from the whole superhero, thing, okay? It's still just me."

Alya could feel the entire classroom shift slightly. Oh. "Alright."

She nodded slightly, "You haven't seen Adrien, have you?" Her voice made every attempt to keep casual, but her eyes betrayed her. Worry.

Nino turned back, "I've been texting him all morning, no luck."

Mari sighed, and whipped her phone, placing it to her ear, "I'd be surprised if he didn't at least pick up the phone."

The boy exchanged a glance with Alya, who suggested, "Maybe you shouldn't."

"It's ringing." She murmured.

The couple watched her face pale as she listened to the voicemail they had already heard.

"Hey there, you've reached Adrien's phone. Sorry I can't come to the phone right now, but I'm currently out of town on an indefinite vacation and won't be able to take your calls. Leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as can."

She placed the phone back in her purse, and sighed. Marinette knew better anyway. He was probably halfway across Europe by now.

Marinette sat through the lesson, trying to keep up. Alya slid over copies of Monday and Tuesday's notes silently, which helped. Madame Bustier was used to all of her students being turned into akumas, so discovering that one of her students was one of the heroes parading around Paris didn't alter her approach too much. Ms. Dupain-Cheng found that her classes were normal.

During lunch however, Marinette sat in the library, doing a make-up quiz for history that she missed the day before. Now, finished, she leaned back in the chair, relishing in the silence. Everyone must've gone outside to eat, it was uncharacteristically nice outside for October.

Everyone, except for Lila.

"So," The girl's voice was cool, despite her hands slamming on the table where Marinette was sitting at, "You're the snake who destroyed my chances with Adrien last semester."

She stared at her coolly, "Lila, I apologized, and I've been as kind as I can be to you, given the circumstances that everything you say is a lie." Marinette stood, gathering her things, and the quiz. "Was there anything else you wanted to say?"

The girl's eyes widened, "You're so transparent, you know that? Everyone knew you liked Adrien. I bet you spent all summer coming on to him as Ladybug, wooing him. You're the liar, not me."

Her eyebrows raised, "You really don't know what you're talking about, you know."

"And!" Lila snarled, "You have the nerve to cheat on my precious Adrien with that playboy Chat Noir."

"Chat Noir isn't a playboy, and, again, you don't even know me, so step off." Marinette stood. "Go spend your lunch hour bothering someone else."

With that, she was out the door, heading back to her classroom to try and call Adrien again.

Once again, voicemail, she cursed, and dialed Nathalie's number.

"Ms. Dupain-Cheng, did you get my e-mail?" Her voice was cool.

Her eyes dropped towards her tablet, and her fingers padded over the screen. "Yes. I'll be there at five. That's fine." She paused, "Have you heard from Adrien? Has Mr. Agreste heard from him?"

"N-No. We're not sure where Adrien is at the moment." She clipped back, "If you know anything, it's our expectation that you inform us immediately."

"I don't." She lied.

Perhaps Marinette wasn't hearing properly, but she might've heard Nathalie sigh in relief.

The assistant responded quickly enough. "Well, I sent a courier to your parent's bakery with all of the paperwork you need \ to sign before you come in. It's about the guerilla collection, orders, logo agreements, marketing campaigns that require your consenting signature before Mr. Agreste gives his final go-ahead. Look it over carefully and then come to the office. Have lovely day at school." The line went dead.

Mari sighed, and placed her phone back in her purse. Class was starting anyway.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Marinette sat at her desk in the Agreste building, going over the paperwork. There was a lot of legal jargon, but she'd taken a crash course as part of the internship. The paperwork was all signed and dated properly within fifteen minutes.

Standing, she left her office, and headed towards Nathalie's desk. "The paperwork." She stated, handing over the stack. "Is that all?"

"Mr. Agreste wanted to see you in his office."

"When?"

"Five minutes ago." She looked at the teenager expectantly.

Marinette sighed, and headed towards Gabriel's office doors. She turned the handle, opening it and stepping inside smoothly.

He looked up, "Did you get all the paperwork finished?" Gabriel was sitting at the dining table, sketching in a notebook while looking at several male model's portfolios.

She didn't smile, "I wouldn't be here if I hadn't. Was there something you need."

"Pick a male model." He told her, flatly, gesturing to the table. "If Adrien's going to be gone as long as I believe he intends to be, we'll need a new model for the fall to winter men's collection."

Marinette strode towards the table, trying to keep her breathing normal, and her emotions in check. She looked at the pictures, and her voice immediately betrayed her, "You think he'll be gone for that long?"

"I have always said that Chat Noir reminded me of my wife." He answered.

She stiffened, "I—I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that she's alive. Adrien reminded me last night." Marinette picked up one of the portfolios, and flipped through it automatically, mainly because she couldn't stand her idle hands.

Gabriel allowed himself to chuckle. It was empty. "My son was going to send you to her, then?"

"Yeah." Marinette replied, "He met my parents. I met you. I guess it was time for me to meet Mrs. Agreste."

He shrugged, "I think you'd remind her of me. Did you get Fu's message?"

She about to respond to his first remark, when she heard the second, "What?" she whirled to him, "What message?"

A small letter emerged from his pocket, "It should've been on your desk at your house."

"I haven't been home since this morning." She answered. Her parents handed her the guerrilla paperwork as soon as she stepped inside the bakery. "Am I—ohmygod—am I in trouble? Ohmygod what if hewantstotakeaway my miraculous!" She could rip her hair out.

The old man held up a hand, "Believe me, if Fu hasn't officially demanded me to return mine, he's definitely not going to take yours away. Get a grip. It's just a meeting between miraculous users."

"I'm guessing it'd be a family reunion for you."

He clicked his tongue, glaring at her, "I'm sure it'll just be Fu, you, and myself. Celine and my son aren't going to travel for a miraculous meeting unless they absolutely have to."

"That's true." She wasn't happy with any of the male models. "They're all blonde, these models, and have green or light-colored eyes. They'll look like knock-off Adrien's should you pick any of them, regardless of styling."

"You think it'd be tasteless?"

Her eyes met his, staring him down, "I think that no matter who you pick, people are going to talk about the new face of the men's collection. You can either progress and move on with your life, or try to cling to the past."

Gabriel bit the inside of his cheek. "Agreed. I'll have Nathalie e-mail you more portfolios tonight. That's all, Marinette. See you at the meeting."

She stepped out of his office, and headed straight towards the elevator.

When she stepped outside the Agreste building, she immediately wished that she asked Nathalie to send a driver.

There was a storm of reporters, berating her with questions about her being Ladybug. Which was annoying, of course, but Marinette knew that it would be twice as bad once they noticed that Chat Noir was missing, or that Adrien was on an indefinite vacation.

The amount of attention was ridiculous however, and Marinette barreled through, stopping a cab as she did, and clambering inside. She found that since being discovered, she was spending a lot of her money on cab fare.

She would need media training before the paparazzi realized that Chat Noir and Adrien were missing.

* * *

Later, a little bit past midnight, she was walking down a side street, towards Fu's studio. She still wasn't transformed, which was odd for her, because she actually said goodbye to her parents before she left, and used the door, and had her house keys in her purse. Her parents were being supportive, but demanded that she say goodbye, and keep her phone on her at all times.

And there weren't cameras on her, as she pulled her Chat Noir hoodie over her head protectively. Marinette didn't realize just how chilly Paris was without her superhero suit. The wind whipped around her, kissing what skin she left uncovered.

Gabriel, meanwhile, was driving down the same street as Marinette, when he noticed someone darting from alley to alley. The girl was in a long, black coat, with a hat covering her hair. He didn't have to look further down the street to know that someone was probably trailing Marinette. He let out a sigh, wishing that his wife had taught him how to properly race down the back streets of Paris.

Accelerating, blowing past the stalker and quickly past Marinette, he parallel parked into a spot quickly and hopped out, meeting the superheroine as his sports car locked itself. He strode towards her casually.

"G-Gabriel?" She sputtered stopping. Her entire body shifted, ready to fight, turning her side towards him to turn on an instant in case an akuma waited behind her.

"You're being followed." He stated, grabbing her forearm and dragging her into a restaurant. "Come on. There's a back door, and a back alley that we can get through."

Her eyes searched his, wondering if it was a trap. The restaurant was closing; the wait staff were vacuuming as two fashion designers burst through the door. The old man turned back, locking the main door behind them, and pulled her onward, towards the kitchen and the back door.

"How did you know about the door?"

"My wife grew up in this area, and when we were heroes she showed me around. When she was hounded by paparazzi she resorted to these tactics, too." He responded, freeing her arm. "I couldn't tell who was following you." Glancing back towards the main street, he clicked his tongue. "The meeting is in Fu's apartment. Thankfully, there's a fire escape that we can use."

She trailed him down the alleyway. "I didn't realize Mrs. Agreste grew up here. I thought she came from a rich family."

He glanced over his shoulder, back at her, "No. She was an orphan, Fu took her in in hopes of passing the Turtle miraculous onto her. But fate had other plans."

"The Peacock miraculous?"

"Precisely."

They arrived. The ladder was up, however. Gabriel took a leap, jumping from a standstill. It was impressive. His hands hooked onto the ladder, and he pulled himself up, swaying slightly, lowering the metal ladder as he did.

He hopped back down to the sidewalk, and took note of her shocked reaction. "You know, Alya accused Adrien of having experience breaking-and-entering. I'm pretty sure he got that from you." She stated.

Gabriel sighed, and answered, "Just go up the ladder before anyone spots us."

She clambered up the ladder, and he watched her slide the window up, crawling inside, before going up himself. He had to keep his breathing regular. The last day had been difficult, keeping emotions in check. Once he realized that Adrien was gone, typical protocol went out the door.

It was Celine's old room, after all. Marinette took it in. The futon, the shelves of photographs and trinkets that she gathered. There was a full collection of ornaments from expensive cars on one shelf, stolen library books on the next shelf, notebooks on the following, and then the shelf at her eye level caught her attention.

She strode over to it, picking up the pin cushion thoughtfully, her fingers trailing over the old, worn pins. There was a pair of fabric shears as well, along with a tie, an eyeglasses case, and two sketchbooks.

Gabriel was behind her, and he inhaled sharply, "Celine had a bad habit of stealing things that didn't belong to her."

Marinette suppressed a scoff, and headed towards the door. She opened it, seeing the living room, where Fu sat in waiting. He turned to them, and his green kwami floated over to Marinette.

"You look ill." Wayzz told her, "Akuma?"

"Akuma." She confirmed, glaring at Gabriel, who slipped by to sit on the chair perpendicular to the couch.

Marinette sat opposite him, "I feel fine, Wayzz."

Fu exhaled gently, "Is Adrien coming?"

Gabriel and Marinette exchanged a glance, and Gabriel shifted, "Marinette and I haven't heard from him, we suspect he's with his mother."

She sighed, "I've only got his voicemail."

"Then there's two things that have to get done." He glanced over to her, "Your kwami needs to be cleansed."

"Cleansed?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Miraculous holders don't get 'akumatized' as you call it. It's not good for you, or your kwami."

"Right!" Wayzz popped up, "I need Tikki and Nooroo for this."

Nooroo slipped out of Gabriel's sleeve, looking rather chipper. Tikki jumped out of Marinette's purse, barreling towards Nooroo, tackling him into a spinning hug. "You poor thing! Is he mean to you? Are you getting fed? You look smaller."

The butterfly tried to squirm away, "I'm not a baby, Tikki."

Wayzz's eyes narrowed, "Don't destroy our brother, Tikki. Just because he's the youngest doesn't mean you have to mother him."

Marinette looked between Wayzz and Fu, "But Tikki wasn't on me when I was akumatized."

The butterfly kwami looked at her, "I struck your heart, Marinette. That kind of possession doesn't go away completely with a purification. Trust me on this, the next time you transform, you'll feel amazing."

Tikki pulled away, her eyes darting between her brothers. "Alright, let's do this."

The three of them morphed into a singular white light, and Fu sighed, leaning back. "So, Adrien is not in Paris." He looked at the two of them coolly, "Typically heroes work in pairs, you know."

"You work alone." Gabriel said.

"I'm not working with him." Marinette told him, at the same time.

Fu chuckled softly, "I'm suggesting that Gabriel picks up the slack. You don't have to work together, but you both could alternate patrol routes, or help out."

Mari glared at Gabriel, "I'm pretty sure he's still a villain."

"The jury's still out." Fu answered softly, "C'mon Gabriel. Like old times?"

The old man paused, starting at the bright white orb floating several feet above him, appearing to think long and hard about his answer. "No, thanks. I think Nooroo and I are going to take a breather, reevaluate plans. Akumatize some lowlifes, keep Marinette on her toes, in case someone worse comes along."

Marinette crossed her arms, "You're the worst whose come along."

Gabriel shrugged, "You're the one who let someone trail you for several blocks without realizing. Check your six, at least. I'd be doing you a favor if I kept up my ends."

Her eyes narrowd, "That'll really keep your family together, won't it?"

"Don't speak for my family, girl." The man hissed, his fists balled on the armrests.

"Fighting accomplishes nothing." Fu looked at her, "Someone was following you?"

She waved her hand, brushing it off her shoulder, giving them a nervous laugh, "Chat typically looks behind us, I look forward. It was probably a reporter."

"Did they see you come here?"

Her eyes fell over to Gabriel, "You didn't see anyone, did you?"

Gabriel crossed his legs, and replied tersely, "I didn't check."

She found herself rolling her eyes a lot more often, these days.

* * *

Adrien drove the beaten-up sedan up the rocky driveway, weaving up hills, winding around trees, until he reached a clearing with a gray-stoned cottage and shingled roof. Did she have a car? No. She had a green bicycle, and somehow managed to trail up and down the mountain whenever she needed to. He wondered about her strength, but set his thoughts of her as a superhero aside.

This trip, as far as his mother was to be concerned, had nothing to do with superheroes.

When he shut the car off, he looked down at Plagg, sitting in the cup-holder, next to the cup-sized container of smelly cheese. "Come on, get in my jacket. Mom isn't going to know about you."

"Oh come on, if your dad knows, is it really a big deal if she knows?" The black cat moaned, "She's not gonna care."

"I care." Adrien answered shortly. He stepped out of the car. It had been three day's worth of travel, and the alone time with Plagg was dragging on him. "Ideally, I'd forget about being Chat Noir and my father being Hawkmoth while I'm here. Don't screw that up, please?"

Pulling out his phone, he leaned against the car, texting Nathalie that he had arrived, safe, unharmed. She had made the travel arrangements after all. A flight to Austria, a train to the Ukraine, a bus to Poland, a ferry to Denmark, and a purchased car that Adrien drove into Germany (he learned as he went), and he was standing in front of his mother's house.

Celine burst through the door, and stopped at the frame, still. "Adrien?" Her voice was as soft as he remembered, and she looked a bit older, but there was no mistaking it. That was his mother. "Nathalie said that your girlfriend would be coming."

"There was a change of plans. I—If you don't want to see me, I can…I can go home." He swallowed, lying through his teeth. Adrien stood, statuesque, hoping that Plagg was hiding.

She was hugging him in an instant, filling him with a warmth he had lost some time ago. Her hands were soft, one against his back, the other in his hair. His arms were around her as well, hugging her back tightly.

His mother choked back a sob, "No, this is perfect. Please, don't go." She pulled back, studying his face, "You're so tall now. And these muscles! Have you been fencing more?"

"I know. I went through several painful growth spurts." He answered, "And I work out a lot in my free time." Adrien moved away, taking the duffle of clothes and toiletries (smuggled out of the Agreste mansion in the wee hours) out of the car. "You-you look great. I don't think you've aged a day."

He didn't ask her why she was walking without a cane, and without a limp. Three years ago, his mother still went to physical therapy, and relied on cane. Now, she walked as though there was no accident. The car crash no longer existed on her body, it seemed.

She gestured him inside. It was a whimsical house, with plenty of flowers and greenery that complemented pastel furniture. It was cozy, there was one great room, with the living room, kitchen, and dining table all in one, well blended space, and a hallway with floor to ceiling glass windows that overlooked the mountainside, leading to two bedrooms and a bathroom.

"Mom—this is wonderful." He told her, earnestly, setting his bag on the guest room bed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, staring at the missed calls and messages for a brief moment before turning his phone off, like he had been doing for the past three days. "What do you do? How'd you get all of this?"

Celine smiled gently, and turned towards the large bookshelf, pulling several books off a shelf, "I'm a novelist. I'm writing this lousy superhero series. I'm two books in." She frowned, thinking, "Your father is a ride or die reader of non-fiction, so I figured I'd hide under a pseudonym and hope that he wouldn't find it."

He stared at the novels, promising to read them before he left. After all, he was aware that his mother was a superhero, and she wasn't attempting to hide her bird brooch on her cardigan. Plagg was nowhere to be found, and he assumed that the cat kwami was around, seeing the bird kwami.

And yet, after he heard a high pitched yelp, he knew exactly where Plagg was.

His mother burst back through the living room, followed by Adrien. Her reaction-time was immediate. On the couch, a small blue kwami was flying away from Plagg, who was pouncing after the small bird, landing him back on the cushions.

"Plagg!" Adrien cried, "What are you doing?"

"Ohhhhhh," the black cat whined, "I'm just—" he let the bird go, and then pounced again, cackling, "—having a little bit of fun with my brother. No big deal."

He glanced over to his mother, who looked unimpressed. "I guess the cat's out of the bag, then?"

"I recognized the ring on your finger, Adrien." Celine glanced over to him, before moving to the couch to rescue her kwami, "This is Pooki, by the way."

The blue and green bird flew towards Adrien. "Hi Adrien! It's been a few years."

The kwami flew closer, in an attempt to nuzzle, and Adrien held up a hand, "I'm allergic to feathers, I'm sorry."

Plagg flew between Pooki and Adrien, "And even so! You have your own ward, so no cuddling up on mine!"

Adrien smiled, and for the first time in several days, it was genuine.


	10. Chapter 10

Tikki, Nooroo, and Wayzz emerged from the conspicuous ball of light. Wayzz watched at Tikki and Nooroo floated over to their respective owners. "Well. Now it's your turn, Marinette."

Wayzz started ordering them around, calmly. Marinette stood as Fu drew a large circle of salt around her and Tikki. "You haven't transformed since the incident, right?"

"I transformed once after the akuma." Marinette told them, "Once, with the black cat miraculous."

Fu's jaw dropped to the floor, "You wielded Plagg?"

Gabriel scowled, "I'm sure Plagg can handle the after effects of an akuma."

"Plagg is the _only_ one who can handle the after affects." Wayzz frowned, "I guess I'm glad that you didn't transform with Tikki first. That would've been a disaster."

The green kwami floated towards Gabriel, "You both need to transform. Marinette can't leave the circle, and you can't enter."

The designer stood, "Nooroo, transform me!" Still, he was nervous. After all, he had never akumatized a miraculous holder before. Although he knew the purification process, he had never practiced it before. He looked up at Ladybug, who was scowling, her hand resting on her yo-yo.

Wayzz sat on the mantle in between them. "Marinette, this is going to hurt, but it has to get done. I need you to relax. Don't resist when Monsieur Agreste starts."

Ladybug sighed, " _Fine._ "

Fu was still sitting, "You're going to use Lucky Charm, and then you'll most likely collapse. Marinette, no matter what, you can't leave the circle."

Gabriel looked over to her, and grimaced at the salt, and added, "The salt is the only thing preventing you from being akumatized by what's about to happen. If you leave the circle, I'll be the only one who can stop you."

"Alright. I'm ready. Let's go."

"Lucky charm." She stated, throwing her yoyo into the air.

It was around this time that several dozen black butterflies burned through her chest, bursting through her suit. She stumbled back slightly, and then realized that her best bet was to fall forward within the salt.

Gabriel sighed, and started diving into her mind.

Even through the blinding pain, she could feel him, systematically searching through her emotions, an when he located the dark emotions, she heard him groan. There was a lot of insecurities and despair about Adrien.

"I didn't realize that you let this fester." He groaned.

Her eyes were screwed tight as she gasped, "You started it!"

Frowning, he felt himself draw the darkness out of her, letting Nooroo do a majority of the guiding as all the black butterflies began to turn white. He sighed, de-transforming, catching the very exhausted Nooroo his in his hands.

Marinette exhaled, feeling…expunged. She stood weakly. "Is it alright, now, Wayzz?"

"Yes."

* * *

Marinette didn't realize how much she loathed Gabriel Agreste until Adrien was no longer there to defend his father's actions.

So, when Alya and Nino bursted into Marinette's room the following Monday, it was after three akuma attacks from that weekend alone. The girl groaned, and her eyes squinted. Nino was already filming. It was after classes, and instead of doing homework, she was taking a long cat nap.

"I said _no interviews._ " Mari muttered, pulling the covers over her head.

"It's Hawkmoth Monday, Marinette. I'm not going to interview you about the multiple elephants in the room."

Actually, there were only three, very large, very noisy elephants in the room.

Elephant One: Marinette is Ladybug, and she hasn't talked to the press, or anyone, about it. She regularly ignores and brushes off reporters, isn't seen working in the bakery unless it's before or after hours, and doesn't comment about her romantic life.

In truth, the girl did have an uncomfortable discussion with her parents, who apparently found out months ago, which was awkward. They also talked about her superhero sleepovers, and reminded her that both Adrien and her were still teenagers, and that it wasn't appropriate. Of course, they also alluded that they were already planning the wedding, which didn't help the situation.

Elephant Two: Chat Noir hasn't been seen patrolling, assisting with akumas, or around Marinette in almost a week. Although Elephant One was very prevalent, Marinette had only gone so far as to say that Chat Noir is safe, alive, and happy. That was all she had to say to the public on the matter, and everyone knew this, because she made a point of saying that although the two were partners, they didn't know each other outside of being superheroes, and didn't speak on each other's behalf.

Many speculations were made about Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Elephant Three: In another shocking turn of events, Gabriel Agreste announced publicly that his son was on an extended leave of absence from Paris. The father openly admitted that Adrien was overworked and overstressed, and needed a much-deserved vacation. He also added, after being questioned, that it had nothing to do with the events that transpired over the past week, and that Adrien would most likely update his social media.

Many speculations were made about Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. When the Agreste company released that Jonas Amorin, a dark-skinned soccer player from Spain, there were also jokes about whether the superheroine would upgrade or not. It was all very embarrassing.

"Technicalities." She groaned, and pulled herself out of bed. "Can we cut the stream for five minutes so I can get dressed?"

Two minutes later, as Marinette was applying concealer, she glared at the camera that Alya had taken off of Nino's hands, "I swear to god, Alya Cesaire, give me privacy."

She giggled. "You should show us your makeup routine sometime."

 _I apply concealer that's proportionate to the amount of akumas in one week,_ she thought bitterly, setting her under-eyes with powder. "Okay, I'm ready, set up the tripod."

Gabriel Agreste stared at the monitor, rolling his eyes as that Nino boy adjusted the tripod a final time while Marinette and that blogger adjusted their seats in front of her desk.

"And we're officially on for Hawkmoth Mondays." Alya smiled widely, "I'm back with my lovely correspondent, Marinette…" Her voice trailed off, and she gave the blue-haired girl a devious smile. "So, a lot happened this week. Want to tell us about it?"

Marinette tilted her head to the side. "Oh, well, first of all, let me be the first to apologize for missing last Monday's broadcast. Obviously, I had a prior engagement." She paused, blinking rapidly for a moment. In fact, for this broadcast, I'd very much love to ignore that whole subject entirely. Let's discuss the three akuma attacks this weekend."

"Wait, so in the three days you were missing, you didn't learn anything new about Hawkmoth?" Alya whirled to her, "Do you know his identity?"

* * *

He watched her fidget slightly, and rolled his eyes again, _get a pokerface, Marinette._ Pressing send on his phone, he let out a scowl when her phone was heard beeping on the broadcast.

"Girl." Alya deadpanned, "Who is it?"

Monsieur Agreste: _Don't reveal my identity. People will wonder about Adrien, and a reporter will put two and two together. Your priority is protecting my son._

"Just work things, sorry." She lied. "Anyway! Three akuma attacks in two days. Is this a personal record for Hawkmoth, Alya?"

Alya smirked, "I'm fairly certain that this is Hawkmoth's most active week to date."

"Yes," Marinette agreed, glaring in to the camera, her voice menacing, "It's almost like Hawkmoth has no social life."

The blogger giggled, "That was a really lame insult."

The superheroine broke as well, devolving into laughter, and sputtering, "I'm sorry! He knows where I live, it's not like I can aim below the belt."

"Anyway, three akumas. And they were all…" Alya thought for a moment, "They were all really boring, did you notice?"

Mari shrugged, "I mean, akumas aren't there for Paris's entertainment. They're dangerous and until Hawkmoth is properl—"

"Monsieur Agreste." Nathalie's voice cut through his ears, and he looked up. _What is she doing at the door?_

He closed the window and looked up at her, scowling, "Couldn't you have paged me?"

…I—I did." She answered, "You're about to be late for the four o'clock meeting. The contract negotiations wit Jonas Amorim."

 _The new model. Fabulous._ Glancing down at his watch, his eyebrows rose, betraying him. "Of course, my apologies."

He stood, smoothing down his shirt, grabbing a notebook and pen, hoping that he'd get a handle on himself before getting to the conference room. Gabriel wasn't late, he was up before the rooster, he was the coffee's coffee.

* * *

Lila looked up at Chloe, frowning, "What's this for?"

Her delicate eyebrows arched slightly, and Lila looked around the locker room, only to discover that no one was in sight. "Can't a friend do something kind for a friend, Lila?"

 _But we're hardly friends,_ she thought bitterly of this blonde girl. Still, a brochure for a Chinese herbal healing session made it all sound very tempting, "I—what's the catch?"

"I know we got off on the wrong foot, girl, but you and I." Chloe crossed her pointer and middle finger, "We're the only ones smart enough to run this school. Think of it as a peace offering."

Now, several days later, she was clutching the voucher, and opened the door for her scheduled appointment. An incredibly short, Chinese man looked up at her, "You must be Lila."

She nodded, tugging on her romper slightly.

The man introduced himself as Master Fu. He gestured towards a fluffy cushion in the center of the room, in front of a small, square table, that sat low on the floor. Fu stood, and turned of the lights, and began to light several candles. "Were you akumatized, by any chance?"

Her head darted to him, as he began to light sage, placing it in a mason jar. "Yes, how did you know?"

Fu looked at her, "I've been doing this long enough to know. There's some dark elements on you." He took out a small jar of salt. "Don't leave this circle I'm about to draw, until I say."

Lila stared at him, "Is this an exorcism?"

"Does that make you feel better?" He murmured gently, "You still have the object that was possessed, don't you?" Fu stodd outside of the circle. "Set it on the center of the table."

She undid her necklace, the faux fox miraculous, and set it on the table carefully. "It was purified, though."

The man sighed, placing several stones in strategic places around the room, in a starburst pattern. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Not every possession is a clean break. You still harbor ill will."

Crossing her arms, she scowled, "Of course I do! Marinette Dupain-Cheng humiliated me in front of Adrien. It was underhanded and the worst day of my life."

Fu chuckled, "She still has a lot to learn."

* * *

Chloe watched as Lila walked in, and counted to one-hundred before slipping into the back alley behind the studio. She looked up at the fire escape, recalling several nights earlier.

Okay, Chloe Bourgeois isn't a stalker, at least, she wouldn't consider herself one. But Adrien left without saying goodbye, and seeing Marinette _and_ Monsieur Agreste sneaking into a building? That had to be where he was hiding out until whatever drama between him and Chat Noir died down.

Jumping up to the fire escape was impossible, she soon realized (Monsieur Agreste made it look incredibly easy), and pulled over a garbage can, scowling at the trash.

 _Ends justify the means,_ the posh socialite thought bitterly, climbing onto the trash can, and reaching the ladder with ease, her palms being rubbed by the rust.

Slipping open the window, Chloe ignored the bedroom full of nonsensical trinkets. She headed into the main room, looking around. "Adrien?"

Nothing much caught her eye about the apartment. There was photographs of the owner of the studio and a young, blonde woman who looked familiar.

 _Actually, wait._ She stepped closer to the photographs, staring intently. _So, the rumors were true?_ The photographs were of that old man and Adrien's mom, Celine. Growing up, Chloe had heard whispers from her parents that she was...common. Clearly, the former supermodel grew up here, the pictures followed her from a young age to her wedding. Chloe had once asked Adrien about it.

"Adrien. Did your mother grow up poor?" They were goofing off in the Agreste library, building forts out of hardcovers, darting back and forth around aisles.

He looked at her quizzically, how old were they? Eight and seven? His hair was a moppy mess comparable to a puppet. "I don't know. You could always ask her, or my dad."

Suddenly, the man who Chloe was terrified of materialized behind her, causing her to spin on her feet and look up at his hollow face. "You shouldn't ask people about where they came from, Miss Bourgeois."

The room was always darker when that tall, tall man stood over her. "I'm sorry."

"You should be," He told her, "Have a lovely afternoon, children."

 _I was right, you arrogant, rich bastard._ She thought, bitterly.

It was a drab apartment of a man whose precious baby bird had flown the nest. Still, it was a little fun to snoop.

Nothing much caught her eye about the apartment.

Nothing about the hair piece, a black ornate comb, caught her eye.

In her defense, it was just resting on the coffee table by the apartment door, and it was clearly the most expensive thing in the apartment, and there was no way that that old man had procured it _legally._ The man deserved a good dose of karma, or at least, the westernized version of karma.

At least, that's how Chloe Bourgeois rationalized swiping it and placing into her purse before climbing down the fire escape, walking several blocks, and calling her driver.

* * *

Gabriel stood as far away from Marinette as he could, looking through Fu's apartment for clues, knowing that he wouldn't find anything. Fu was also examining things, as well as Wayzz, Tikki, Nooroo, and Coppa, The fox kwami.

It was well past midnight of that Monday.

"I don't think we'll find anything." Marinette announced, "Why did you have the Bee miraculous out in the first place?"

Fu frowned, "I let at least one kwami out once a week to stretch. Vennun must've been hiding when the intruder came."

"Well," Mari glared over at the old designer, "I'm sure you're used to people stealing miraculous stones."

Gabriel ignored the comment, considering that it wasn't true.

"Well, Madame Peacock stole her miraculous, but that was an isolated incident, and she was living with me at the time." Fu replied pointedly. "Still, I need you both to be on your toes until we discover if this new wielder intends to be nefarious or not. I need you two to work together."

Marinette frowned, and Gabriel said exactly what she was thinking. "This person is _not_ a miraculous wielder. We're dealing with an above-average jewelry thief, who now has a large amount of magic in their possession." He rolled his eyes at himself, "The quicker we take back the Bee miraculous the better."

"Because you're excellent at stealing miraculous?"

"I've succeeded once." He reminded her coldly, "And I'll tell you this. The Bee miraculous isn't handed out unless the situation is dire. It's dangerous."

Fu hid a smile, and slipped back into the kitchen. It wasn't the place of the guardian to interfere much, anyhow.

"Fu?"

He looked back at Wayzz, who was floating in the doorway, "Yes?"

"Your lack of concern troubles me." The green kwami landed onto an aloe fern that hung over the sink. "Gabriel Agreste is right, you know. The Bee miraculous could be dangerous."

The old man placed his pointer finger on the kwami's head, petting him gently, "I think Gabriel and Marinette need a catalyst. For now, we're going to see how it goes."

Wayzz frowned, "You think they'd work together?"

"I think so."

Gabriel sighed, and looked over to her, "I _suppose_ I can do patrols on the north side of Paris, and you can take the south. That way we can both adequately search for this thief."

Her eyes narrowed, but she looked at him at least, "I'm going to get in contact with Adrien before I trust you with patrol routes."

"I have my own patrol routes, spare me." He reminded her, his voice raising, "I've been doing this far longer—"

"You're not as impressive as you think you are." She replied immediately, without thinking. "You don't have any experience fighting against another miraculous user, and I can't rely on you, your busy schedule, or your ability to not steal miraculous for your own personal gain!"

He felt heat rise to his face, "You have no right to assess my skills as a superhero."

Marinette tilted her head to the side, "Oh! You, as a hero? That'll be the day! Just so you know, I haven't ruled out the theory that you stole the Bee miraculous yourself."

"You really think I stole the miraculous?" He retorted, "First of all, there are consequences to wielding a miraculous you're not suited for. Secondly—"

Fu emerged from the kitchen, looking between them, "That's enough," He silenced their arguments, "You two will have to work together when the proper time comes."

She stared at the turtle miraculous user with disdain. Marinette pulled out her phone, and dialed Adrien's number. It was habitual at this point. Whenever she was feeling particularly frustrated, she would try calling him.

Well, she'd never tried to call him after midnight. So when Adrien answered with a groggy hello, Marinette was floored.

Literally, Marinette leaned against the closest wall she could find and slid to the floor. "A-Adrien?" in her peripherals, she saw Gabriel stiffen.

Well, now Adrien was wide awake, he sat up, "Why are you calling me so late, Mari? Are you alright?" He lifted his hand, realizing that it was resting on a purring Plagg, who was now wide awake.

"I—I'm sorry." She stated, "I—I didn't think you'd actually answer."

Adrien frowned, "Well, I've been avoiding your calls. We can chat, or course, I just…I don't want to come back to Paris for awhile, unless there's an emergency. Please don't convince me otherwise."

He heard her breath hitch and shake for a moment, "Well, I guess in that case. I have everything under c-control."

"What is it, bugaboo?" Adrien asked. "I know about the akuma attacks, and the miraculous meeting at Fu's, is there something else?"

"A miraculous was stolen from Fu's apartment." She admitted, "I—I can hande it for now, no need for you to come back just yet."

Adrien sighed, rubbing his temples, "Did you check to see if my father stole it?" He distinctly heard his father's voice in the background protesting, but ignored it. "Just, be careful, okay? I'm going to go back to sleep, now."

"Wait!" She shouted, "Can I call you again?"

"Yeah. That's fine." He mumbled, "I need my beauty sleep, princess. Goodnight."

He hung up on her, and Marinette glanced over at Gabriel, who was muttering something about calling it a night.

* * *

When Adrien woke up, he had to check his phone's calling history to make sure it wasn't a dream. It was about ten in the morning of that Tuesday. He emerged from his bedroom, to find his mother leaving for her university classes. She wore dark trousers, and fitted sweater, looking like the accomplished professor that she was.

He glanced to the ingredients on the table, and a printed out recipe. "That's for lunch." She kissed him on the cheek, "Which I will be back for."

The young boy gave his mother a half-smile. It had been a little over a week, and he had watched her kitchen fill with food. Apparently, when Celine lives alone, she relies on takeout and microwaves. Now, his mother was requesting (forcing him, don't get confused, Celine Agreste wants Adrien to win over the baker's daughter, after all) him to make dinner.

"I'll see you then." He answered, "Love you."

She was out the door, leaving Pooki behind.

When midday rolled around, he tried his luck, and called Marinette.

"Adrien?" She paused, "I'm busy, can we—"

"No, of course." He felt himself blushing, "If you're busy, that's alright. You can call me when you're free."

"I'm in a meeting with your father." She stated, "For now, we're trying to figure out the identity of Yellow Jacket. It's incredibly nerve-wracking."

"Yellow Jacket?" He sighed, "Put me on speaker."

Marinette sighed, "The Bee miraculous user hasn't showed up, and Yellow Jacket rolls off the tongue, for now."

"So, what's the problem? As far as I can tell, both of you discovered identities in the past."

He recognized his father clearing his throat, "Well, Marinette got caught on my camera's transforming, and she backtracked to that moment and realized that it was me. So, there's not much that applies to this situation."

Adrien scowled, "So, you're telling me that you're waiting for this wielder to screw up?"

"Essentially." Marinette answered.

"For now, we're ironing out an approachable strategy." He told his son, "Under no circumstances are you to return to Paris, Adrien. The Bee miraculous is far too dangerous."

The boy noted that Gabriel didn't comment on his mother. "What? It can't be that bad."

He heard his father sigh, "You and Ladybug have short-range weapons and fighting capabilities. The Turtle Miraculous is also short-range. My miraculous, the Peacock miraculous, and the Fox miraculous are all long range ultimately. The Bee miraculous...you can't see coming."

"Evidently, the sniper of the miraculous stones." Marinette told him, "Bow and arrow. Poisoned tips."

Gabriel frowned, "Luckily, the effects are broken as soon as you break the arrows in half."

Adrien felt his fury coarse through him, "So, you're telling me that because of _your_ actions, Marinette is a sitting duck?"

"Don't get angry, your girlfriend has been a sitting duck from day one." He answered plainly, "We're taking preventative actions."

He stood, moving the sautéed steak around the pan, "Alright. If you two have…things under control, I can leave you to it. Have a lovely day, both of you, really."

"Adrien—"

The boy hung up the phone, a habit he was quickly picking up from his mother, as well as a habit that his father had, that he loathed.

Plagg looked up at him, "Something troubling you, kiddo?"

Pooki peeked up from her nest of hard candy wrappers on top of the fridge. "You shouldn't be so rough on your dad. He loves you to the moon and back."

He glanced back at the tiny bird, "Marinette and my father are acting like nothing happened."

"That's war." Plagg told him pointedly, "They have to work together at his fashion company, and now there's a new potential threat to the city. They're at a stalemate."

"Stalemate?" He slid the steak onto a plate, and dumped chopped vegetables onto the same pan, adding a lemon juice reduction, as well as salt and pepper.

Plagg looked at him. "You're an idiot."

The bird landed on his head, circled three times, and sat down, "Let me explain. Gabriel knew that Marinette was Ladybug, and he knew that you, Adrien Agreste, liked her a lot, but didn't realize that you are also Chat Noir. You didn't know that your father is Hawkmoth. At that moment, Hawkmoth could do whatever he wanted to her because you wouldn't know it was him."

"So," Plagg purred, "Now that you know the jig, Gabriel's going to behave around her. And Marinette won't do anything to him if it meant hurting your family."

Pooki smirked, "Wow. That man actually has consequences to his actions. Amazing."

"You don't like him?" Adrien asked the blue bird.

The kwami answered, "I didn't say that."

* * *

She smiled at him, laughing, "That went well."

He frowned, looking over the miraculous index. "Spare me the sarcasm." He glanced over at the map. "Do you think we start with a radius around Fu's studio?"

Marinette shook her head, "Whoever followed me, must've started at my parent's bakery and followed me from there. They could be anywhere. I would say we start at the bakery, and look at all the security cameras between there and Fu's studio."

Gabriel sighed, "I'll get my investigator on it." He pressed the intercom, "Nathalie, call a driver for Ms. Dupain-Cheng, and have Gorilla escort her to the car, while you're at it."

Staring at him from across the room, she started to gather her things. At this point, she would typically snarl about not needing a driver or escort, but the situation was dire. The media (as well as Paris's government) had gotten it into their heads that she knew Hawkmoth's identity, which she vehemently denied. Couple that with a potential villain walking around knowing her identity, and she was suddenly grateful for the Agreste security detail.

Still, she'd rather freeze to death than actually thank him for anything.


	11. Chapter 11

Chloe arrived to her suite about forty-five minutes after stealing the hair piece, sipping a chai latte, and dialing Adrien's number into her phone. A number she knew by heart.

Once again, the boy didn't answer. She scowled, ignoring her butler and heading into her room, shutting the door. After the voicemail message, she spoke, "Hey Adrien, it's me. Again. Just calling to see how your day is going. I'm starting to get worried about you. Call me back, okay?"

She sighed. The boy was ignoring her. There wasn't much she could tell him about, anyway. She had gone shopping, and she stole what she gauged to a be a priceless piece of jewelry. Resigned, she sat on her bed, pulling the hair piece out of her purse.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" A black and yellow bug floated from around the corner.

Letting out a blood curdling stream, she threw the hair piece at the creature, effectively missing it. The comb hit the wall of her room and fell unceremoniously to the ground.

The kwami sighed, "You know, you're really bad at first impressions." The bug floated over to a stack of magazines, and flipped through one, it's antenna bouncing as it did, "My name is Vennum."

The blonde girl inhaled, "What the hell are you? Another akuma? Pretty pathetic, if you ask me. I—I didn't know they came in your size."

Vennum looked disinterested, "I'm a kwami." The thing picked up a magazine with a picture of Ladybug, fighting an akuma, "Kwamis give people superpowers via fancy jewelry."

"Like Ladybug?" Her voice hitched up a few octaves, "Like Hawkmoth?"

"Except I'm better." The kwami smirked, "But, I understand if you're not interested. I mean, you _did_ just throw my miraculous across the room like it was nothing. _It's no big deal or whatever._ "

Chloe grinned, deciding that Vennum and her would be incredibly good friends.

* * *

"Do you insist on akumas?" She burst into his office, "I've been working night and day trying design the pieces for the next installmen of the guerilla collection, on top the embroidery for your men's collection."

 _She only yells at me when Nathalie is away on lunch break,_ he thought woefully. Gabriel looked up at her, clasping his hands together on the desk, "You forget yourself. You—"

Marinette's tongue was fire, "I don't care that you're my boss, as I've repeatedly reminded you. You're a thorn in my side!"

Clicking his tongue, he continued, "That's not what I was going to say. You also forgot that I'm having you attend to Amorin's fittings."

"Jonas Amorin? No. I'm far too busy." She retorted, "Stop stretching me too thin, I will snap."

He smiled slightly, "Is it really so bad, fighting an akuma every other day? Is it that much of a pain?"

"Yes!" Marinette felt her cheeks hot with anger.

Leaning back, he smiled gently, "Is it? I think it'd be more obnoxious to deal with the fact that the world knows that you're the superheroine everyone's relying on." His hand opened the desk drawer where Nooroo slept, and he pulled out a copy of her schedule. He regarded the next day, wondering which time was appropriate to stage an attack.

She paled, "I don't understand what you're getting at." She took a step forward, taking the revised schedule. It was e-mailed to her an hour ago, but she hadn't gotten around to looking at it.

"You avoid the press like the plague, you blatantly ignore the mayor and several detectives, your fan's questions go unanswered." Gabriel frowned, "The only real time you get to actually get away from it all is when you're working for me or fighting an akuma."

Marinette took a significant time to pause and think about it. _Don't get confused,_ she thought, _he doesn't want you to reveal his identity._ "What happens when Yellow Jacket strikes, and I'm too exhausted to defeat them?"

"Oh." Gabriel looked up at her, "I'll declare a champion. Maybe one of my old akumas. Do you have a preference? Lady Wifi, Puppeteer, Volpina?"

Her fingernails dug into her palms, "So what, you'll force someone else to fight Yellow Jacket?"

"My power really doesn't allow me to do much else."

"Liar." She bit back, "You fought with Madame Peacock. Hand-to-hand combat."

Eyes flashed over to her, he shook his head and picked up a magazine, flipping through an Armani editorial. "I had good reason to," Gabriel responded softly, "Peacock was the light of my life for a very long time."

Shaking her head, she turned for the door. "Well," Marinette told him on the way out, smirking, "I can think of two blonde models that might provide you a pretty good reason to contribute to the mission. Have a lovely afternoon, Monsieur Agreste."

Gabriel bit back a response, but he didn't stop thinking about what she said for a good portion of the afternoon.

* * *

Celine sat across from him, "So, you're fine leaving Ladybug with Hawkmoth?"

Looking up, he felt the weight of her words, "I don't think he'd do anything to her. I love her. Dad…loves me. I think they're working together." He stared down at the meatloaf he created that afternoon, flavorful but somewhat dry. Yet, eating something you made yourself was oddly satisfying.

She leaned back, "I mean, how did they interact before they figured each other out?"

"It was professional." Adrien blinked, "They…I…I heard that they had lunch together all the time, before he figured it out. I think they discussed design, and plans for the company. Marinette was being groomed. I think he liked her."

His mother cocked her head to the side, "Why not you?"

The boy shrugged, "I think Father is waiting for my career to peak before getting me into the business side of things."

"Is that what you want?"

The words jolted him out of place, and he stammered, "I don't know? The design brand is 'Gabriel.' It'd be odd if someone outside the family just took ov—"

"If you married Marinette, wouldn't it still be in the family?"

Feeling the heat rise to his face and neck, he protested, "Mom! F-first of all, Marinette wants to make a name for herself, there's no way she'd inherit a brand. Secondly, we're b-both so young, who knows where we'll end up, five, ten years from ow?"

There was a distinct twinkle in her eyes, "Chat Noir and Ladybug go together like Hawkmoth and Madame Peacock, kiddo."

The blush on his face didn't subside, and he remembered something in the pantry of the library. "Who collected the magazines?"

"What?"

Staring at her, he looked incredulous, "The nineties magazines about you, and Hawkmoth, and Peacock. There are dozens upon dozens."

"Gabriel and I had a running competition." She answered coolly, "He'd try to buy the latest magazine pertaining to me or our hero personas before I had the chance to steal one off a newsstand. We ended up with multiple copes on multiple occasions. He started his collection when we started out, though."

The boy looked as though his eyes would pop out of his head, "You stole?"

Celine looked shocked, "Gabe never told you? There is a room in the mansion dedicated to shelves of stuff I pilfered."

He chuckled, "You're rich! Or, you were, you didn't need to steal, mom."

"I didn't grow up rich, Adrien. Your father's parents were upper-crust. We lied about where I came from." She took a sip of water, "It wasn't preferable, but superheroes have connections."

Smiling, he responded, "I didn't know that about you."

Standing, she brought her plate to the sink, and began to wash it, saying, "You have to understand, my past is so wrapped up in miraculous stones and superheroes. It's…hard to discuss. Your father and I decided that we wouldn't tell you after the accident." Celine put the dish on the drying rack, and ran her hands over her thighs.

"So, did Fu heal you?" He prodded.

She paused, and chuckled, "I forgot that they were broken for a minute there. Yeah, he did."

Adrien looked away, "I'm sorry about the accident." He stood, "I—I know it wasn't ultimately my fault, I do, but it was my recital that we were going to."

Taking a few steps forward, she pulled him into her, hugging him tightly, "It wasn't your fault," Celine assured him gently, "I got to quit modelling because of it, which was wonderful."

"You hated modelling?" His eyes were wide, his excitement was clear.

Celine smiled gently, learning just how alike they were would become a fun pastime.

* * *

Chloe was in a sublevel of the hotel, a parking lot that was abandoned. It was past midnight. She was trying to prepare herself as she placed the hair piece into her top knot of yellow hair.

"Are you done wasting time?" Vennum asked her pointedly, "Let's do it, blondie."

She scowled, "What's the point? What do I want from this?"

The bee looked unamused, "Did you or did you not call that boy five times since we met? I'm fairly positive I know what you want."

 _Oh._ A devious smile went across her face. "Fine. Vennum, transform me!"

In an instantaneous yellow light, she as wearing a suit similar to ladybug, a shiny solid gold. Over it, was a sleeveless jacket that's hem stopped at her ankles, flaring out like a cape, and patterned with black and yellow strips. Thin, scalloped lapels draped over the center front. Over her shoulder, was a bow, and a quiver of arrows.

She pulled out the bow, staring at the jeweled wearpon, feeling the weight in her hand. Vennum had explained it well enough. All she had to do was take a pen, write down the intended goal on the side of an arrow, and aim. The kwami said it was slightly time consuming, but for now, she should ignore the magic and focus on her aim.

Loosing an arrow, she attempted to hit a small parking sign. She had done her research before hand, and made the mistake of convincing herself that her form was flawless, and that her aim would be true.

Her aim wasn't very good. She pouted, retrieving the arrow and tried again for the next three hours.

The next day, she was sipping a second cup of coffee in the car on the way to school, when the sight of Marinette walking to school caught her attention. She was almost surprised, until she remembered that the guerilla collection released one or two garments a week. Marinette wore a black and red plaid halter dress with a square circle skirt. The peter pan color was a charming touch to an otherwise harsh, grungy outfit.

Chloe scowled, enough of her favorite magazines had Marinette or Ladybug on the cover, this was just adding fuel to the fire.

It would be so sweet to knock her off her block. Now, Vennum would be there to help her.

Hopping out of the car, she strode up to the girl with a twinkle in her eye, and a kwami in her purse. "Marinette! I think this is your best dress yet." She tried to pull back the snarky inflection over her words.

The girl smiled cautiously, as though she were looking in the face of a bear, "Thank you. Was there something you needed, Chloe?"

 _Fuck, I need to come up with a reason,_ she put on a phony smile, "I wanted to thank you for all the times you saved me. I know we are far from friends, so I really appreciate."

"I'm just doing my job."

Smirking, she turned to head into the school, and sneered, "Well, you always go above and beyond, don't you?"

Because after all, it'd be far to suspicious if Chloe suddenly became her best friend. Not that she had any plans to, but Marinette had the entire Gabriel brand behind her, and it wasn't worth much of a fight anymore.

After all, if the girl wasn't stepping inside her house, or heading into school, she was being escorted by a driver who serve as her body guard in and out of the Agreste headquarters, the park at photoshoots, ect.

Chloe was incredibly delighted by lunchtime, and she stood on the steps, watching Marinette come face-to-face with an akuma several sizes larger than her.

It was a reporter, and the blonde girl rolled her eyes, it was always reporters. Reporters that Marinette ignored, lately.

"I am The Scoop! Tell me where Adrien is!"

Her ears perked up as she watched her classmate transform into the heroine everyone loved her as.

She fought silently, and apparently, The Scoop shot gray beams out of the eraser of a pencil that forced victims to reveal secrets. Which was quite the embarrassment for several of Chloe's classmates. Still, Ladybug was dodging effectively.

Vennum poked out of Chloe's purse, "You need to stay out of that akuma's way," He told her, "You're not ready, and if it hits you, we'll be over before we start."

Chloe's head jerked in agreement, and she went inside. After all, things weren't fun when Marinette wasn't in a playful mood, and she was often silent during her fights.

* * *

Ladybug didn't talk to the akumas anymore. There was never a sassy comeback. There was a lot of discourse between her and Hawkmoth, unaddressed tension that was liable to snap. The fights evolved to Hawkmoth just taking the reigns and attacking, along with making snide comments, which the girl reacted to. Gabriel and Marinette said things to each other during fights that couldn't really go unsaid. He reminded the teenager that he still had all the power over her in everything she did, and she reminded him that he drove every one he loved away.

Essentially, things got too personal. Reporters suspected that Ladybug/Marinette knew Hawkmoth's identity. It was the only explanation for the events, namely, the one where Marinette and Chat Noir escaped the villain unscathed, and Chat Noir made a hasty escape out of Paris.

Most reporters had some kind of theory, and it varied person to person. But the main point is that during the fight, Marinette found out Hawkmoth's identity after he captured her, resulting in a stalemate. It wasn't too far off from the truth, and it wasn't as though the girl was confirming or denying anything.

So, Ladybug's fighting style with akumas changed after reporters asked her about her banter with the Hawkmoth-controlled akumas. She battled systematically, focusing on her form and efficiency, instead of focusing on teamwork and keeping her partner safe.

After all, the akumas often made snide comments about her style, and Chat wasn't there to defend her anymore.

 _"Hmm? Why don't you use that yo-yo as a shield instead of trying to attack? Clearly, you're not the offensive one."_

 _"If you keep falling that way, you're going to dislocate your shoulder and look even more idiotic than you do now."_

 _"Really Marinette? Stop throwing things to try and distract me, that won't work."_

Really, the girl wasn't helping with her vehement insults.

 _"You're too old to fight me face-to-face, you washed up old man."_

 _"I see this akuma is romantic, sad, considering your lack of a love-life."_

 _"Wow, I see you're resorting using Volpina, I thought originality was your strong-suit."_

So, basically, Marinette was arrested because everyone basically agreed that she knew Hawkmoth's identity, and Mayor Bourgeois was getting tired of asking and getting ignored. After all, it was technically criminal.

The police officers stormed out of the elevator of the Agreste headquarters, and banged on Marinette's door, yelling that they were the police, and that she was surrounded.

Gabriel poked his head out of Nathalie's office, which connected to his, and he stepped outside. After all, they weren't arresting him, yet. Still, there was a lot of dramatics that wouldn't intimidate the girl, he knew. She had faced hell and back several times and lived to tell the tale.

He took several steps towards the police chief, and Roger. _How tasteless, my wife's old bodyguard._ The man had forgotten Roger's name. "What is the meaning of this?"

Of course, at this point Marinette did emerge from her office, looking unimpressed as a police an officer motioned her to face a wall, handcuffing her hands behind her. After all, the handcuffs were a formality, right? She was flexible enough to get her arms under her legs and to her front, which would give her enough balance to fight them off quickly.

Roger looked at him, and handed over the arrest warrant. "The city's focus is catching Hawkmoth, Monsieur Agreste. I apologize for the inconvenience."

The man scanned it over, and glanced to Marinette, "Obviously, I'm going to call several people to make your appointments for the afternoon. Don't stress over missing work for a couple hours. I'll call my legal team, as well."

He listened to the girl exhale slightly, and put on the mask. She replied softly, "I'd appreciate it, sir."

Gabriel smirked, "Too bad the law doesn't protect well-meaning journalists."

 _Too bad you have to protect me,_ he thought, chuckling aloud slightly before clearing his throat.

Watching as they lead her out the door, he turned to Nathalie, who's jaw was still dropped. "Call the mayor, let him know that I regrettably will not be donating to the upcoming reelection campaign.'

"Sir?" She turned to him, her face was stricken with genuine confusion.

Searching her mind, he found the same pure bewilderment, "What is it?"

She retreated into her office, and he shut the door behind them, heading into his own, "It's just—" Nathalie snapped her mouth shut, and sat at her desk.

"Just say it, Miss Sancoeur." Gabriel deadpanned, not amused.

"You hate her." She looked up at him, "I can tell, sir. And yet all you do is go out of your way for her. I don't understand."

Gabriel winced, "What makes you think that?"

He crossed his arms, "The girl is a hero, Nathalie, why wouldn't I be nice to her?"

"You were nicer to her before everyone knew that she was Ladybug." Nathalie replied, "You gave her a successful fashion line, a blessing to date your son, and you groomed her. But it changed at some point. You don't like her."

"It's business." He replied, "I don't have to like anyone, I just have to work well with them." Gabriel frowned, "There was something I wanted to discuss, however."

 _I will make you suffer, Nathalie Sancoeur, I will remind you that my character isn't under question._

Her eyes flicked up to his eyes, studying them for a moment, "Yes, sir?"

Not breaking eye contact, he let his eyebrows furrow, "It's about Adrien. I had several investigators dig into his… _departure._ "

Blinking, she pursed her lips, "I wasn't aware of that, did you need me to wire money to them?"

He tilted his head, "You know, it was fairly easy to start at the airport and work our way from there. Adrien has never bought a plane ticket before. And while he is an intelligent and capable boy, his complicated route—Austria, Ukraine, they haven't tracked him further than that, mind you—begs the question: How did he arrange such a route on his own?"

His hands were clasped behind his back, waiting. He watched her emotions shift from polite curiosity to internal panic. Her face didn't show it, of course, but her hands trembled slightly.

"I think he's more capable than we both realize, sir."

His eyes snapped wide open as the words sinked into his skin.

 _Step One: Protect Adrien. Step Two: Swallow your pride, if you can. Step Three: Let Nathalie off the hook while discrediting her theory._

Simple enough, he rationalized.

"What are you trying to imply, Miss Sancoeur?" Gabriel asked tersely. After all, he was still her boss.

Her fingers drummed over her keyboard, but she typed nothing, and answered, "Did you notice that Ladybug's partner and Adrien both disappeared around the same time?"

 _This will distract him,_ she thought, _he won't even question me after this._ Nathalie didn't believe for a second that the two teenage boys, Adrien and Chat, were the same person. It was a coincidence due to Marinette's relationship with the two of them. But still, she hoped that it was enough to cause Gabriel to doubt her involvement in Adrien's disappearance from Paris.

Gabriel allowed himself a smirk, "I'm not upset with you, Nathalie, so don't try to distract me with such a baseless rumor. Adrien isn't Chat Noir, he's far too busy for that nonsense." He paused, exhaling, "If you helped him leave Paris, good. With you at the helm, I'm sure he arrived to wherever he went off to safely. He deserves a break."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"I am." He turned to head back into his office, "Besides, I have a feeling that he won't be gone long."

* * *

This was definitely not one of Marinette's proudest moments, being walked out of the building by several police officers. There were dozens of reporters and spectators as she got into the back of the police car.

Hell, for the first time, she was hoping that Gabriel would let loose an akuma on Paris.

She tried her best to get comfortable, as the two arresting officers climbed in front, switching on the siren and zipping through the streets. They were clearly in a rush to get her to whatever precinct they were taking her too.

"Is this going to take long?"

They didn't say anything. One of the officers cleared his throat, gently indicating that they weren't allowed to talk to her.

Marinette was lead into a small room, with a metal table, two chairs, and overhanging lamp. They un-cuffed her, and gestured for her to sit in one of the chairs. They offered water, but she wasn't thirsty.

Roger entered the room shortly, and she looked away, avoiding glaring at him, "Marinette, a pleasure. I'm the detective assigned to the Hawkmoth case."

"Congratulations. I bet Sabrina is proud," Marinette told him sincerely before getting to the point, "Why am I here?"

Sliding over a copy of the warrant he had sent her several days ago, he told her, "You blatantly ignore my legal request to questioning."

"There was an akuma." She reminded him, "Some guy who was upset about the pollution around Paris. I couldn't attend."

The man ran a hand through his flaming-red hair, "That's weirdly convenient." He dragged his sentence, the accusation was clear.

 _Play dumb._ Looking up at him, she asked innocently, "What do you mean?"

"Almost like," He suggested, eyeing her carefully, "like you told Hawkmoth that you needed him to attack at that time."

Marinette exhaled slightly, she had informed Nathalie that she would have to attend questioning, who in turn, told Gabriel. "I didn't say a word to Hawkmoth about the questioning." It wasn't technically a lie.

The man pursed his lips, "So, you could talk to him, if you wanted?"

"He sends akumas out all the time." Her eyes flitted down to the warrant, wondering what the legal consequences to lying actually were. "Anyone could talk to him that way."

"Ms. Dupain-Cheng, do you know his identity, or don't you?"

"Hawkmoth is Hawkmoth, Roger, what do you expect from me?"

He scowled, suddenly annoyed by her need to dance around every question. "I expect you to cooperate with the apprehension of a man who has terrorized the city for almost a year and a half!"

"Didn't the same city, under the same mayor, give him the key to the city?" She smirked slightly, "I have things under control. And what are you complaining about? Most of the akumas attack me before harming anyone or anything."

Roger leaned back, "You could put him away for life, you know."

Marinette blinked, _I need to figure this out._ "I—Listen, there's a good reason."

"And that would be?"

Sighing, she looked the robust man in the eye, and whispered intimately, "He knows Chat Noir's identity. That's why Chat Noir isn't in Paris. If I reveal Hawkmoth, he'll reveal my partner."

The man rolled his eyes, "That's a dumb reason."

Crossing her arms, Marinette scowled, "I'll have you know that there are other criminals outside of Hawkmoth, and my life has gotten significantly harder since being revealed."

The door burst of the room burst open, and the girl uncrossed her arms and stood, as Mayor Bourgeois himself walked in. "What is the meaning of this?" He demanded theatrically, over-playing his disgust at the situation, "Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I'm so sorry, I had no idea that this was going on!"

Marinette didn't smile, knowing full well that the mayor was certainly behind this. "It's alright, sir. This is all just one big understanding. Am I free to go?"

Bourgeois nodded, apologizing again. "Please, be on your way, I assure you that this will _never_ happen again. This city does not treat their superheroes like criminals, I assure you."

When she stepped outside of the cement room, Nathalie was there. She turned to the girl, and looked down at her, "You're going to be late for Jonas's shoot."

"I—alright." Marinette felt her cheeks grow hot, "Thanks for coming."

The assistant huffed, "We should move. There's a storm of reporters outside who'll want five minutes with you, I'm sure."

The girl glanced around, "I'm sure we between the two of us, we can find some kind of alternate exit."

The woman whirled at her, her cerulean eyes bright, his lips turned down in a distinct frown, "The car is out front, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. If you want to get arrested _again_ for trespassing, be my guest."

Her shoulders dropped, and felt Tikki squirming in her purse as she followed the assistant out the front door. In a moment, she could smell the outside Paris air, she could see the reporters surge forward like the beating of a singular heart, and she could hear their questions. She decided to bite the bullet, and answer the questions

"Marinette! Why were you arrested?"

She smiled gently, "It was all a misunderstanding."

"Where's Chat Noir?"

"He's alive and well, as I've said before."

"What about Adrien Agreste? Have you heard from your boyfriend?"

Marinette's eyes fell to that one reporter, staring daggers into him, "Adrien is my classmate, not my boyfriend. Get it straight."

"So you're dating Chat Noir?"

Rolling her eyes, she climbed into the back of the car with Nathalie, sighing behind the tinted windows. "So what did Gabriel do?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, as reporters are pressed to the glass like fish, trying to get the right shot.

"Just the standards: withdrawing campaign funding, a stiflingly polite apology to the point of irony." She answered, "The Agreste family is the biggest campaign financer, after all."

 _Oh._

* * *

When they arrived to the park near her house, Gabriel was waiting politely, holding two to-go cups of espresso. One was for him, and the other was for Marinette. She did get arrested, after all. And right now, he had to convince Nathalie that he did like Marinette beyond a professional level.

In truth, if Nathalie could put together the timeline of Adrien and Chat's disappearance, she could also get close to discovering Gabriel's identity, as well. He knew her well enough. Nathalie does have a line, which he had made a point not to cross in her three years of working for him.

Her boss being Hawkmoth definitely crossed the line.

 _Maybe she'll think this is too forced,_ he thinks, but it was too late. Enough stylists, reporters, and civilians witnessed him ordering the two coffees, and holding them as the black sedan rolled to a stop in front of him.

She stepped out of the car, thankful that the park was specifically reserved for the Agreste company to shoot several editorials that day. Maybe this is where all the campaign financing goes to, after all.

He handed her the cup of coffee, smiling slightly, "I thought you'd appreciate some boost after the ordeal you just went through."

Marinette noticed the shift immediately, and looked up at him, confusing it for a time when he didn't know her secret. Hell, with the way most people around the set were acting around her, it was easy. The stylists, the models, and the industry in general were used to celebrity. "Thank you." She replied meekly, taking the coffee and turning towards Nathalie, "What's first?"

Gabriel took this time to tune the two women out, smiling politely as he looked past them. His skin rippled, and he felt Nooroo suddenly stir in his pea coat. His head flicked to the side, and he was staring past the hoards or reporters who were quickly dwindling in number. There was seismic shift in the air, and he could feel it.

He flicked back to the teenager, wondering if she noticed, while also wondering how he could get her to one of the tents as quickly as possible.

Searching, he was expanding his radius, sensing the emotions of those around him. He brushed over Jonas, the stylists, the reporters and onlookers, scanning for him or her.

"Monsieur Agreste?" Nathalie's voice cut through his concentration, and he dared to glare at her. "Are you alright?"

"Everything's fine." Gabe sucked in a breath. He foolishly hoped for a moment that Yellow Jacket was just there to observe, though, he did make eye contact with Marinette, hoping that she'd take the hint.

She didn't.


	12. Chapter 12

"If Adrien could describe the relationship of his parents, he would say: normal. They were a happy couple. Gabriel balanced out Celine's kindness and brought her out of her shell, so that she wasn't a pushover. Celine? Celine softened Gabriel's ice-queen heart, he was kind, but firm. His parents didn't fight much. Adrien felt that, the way they acted, that at one point, they were a couple that fought, but had gotten it all out. His parents had conflicts, but they were resolved conflicts.

Now, if Adrien could describe the relationship of his parents after the article about them came out? He would most likely say: lawful evil. They fought as though they were playing a game of chess, it was carefully calculated. Adrien could sit down and muse over their argument for hours, discovering new moves, unearthing layers of the argument."

-An excerpt from my previous work, 'Flying in Paris', which I didn't want to paraphrase for this chapter to describe Adrien's viewpoint of his parent's relationship. 'Flying in Paris' and 'A Spot of Tea' are loosely in the same universe, but are relatively independent of each other.

* * *

Celine stiffened immediately, her hands grasped the counter as she shuddered. Adrien's hand was on her shoulder, "Mom?"

Pushing off the counter, she turned to Pooki, who looked stricken with fear, "The Bee miraculous, right?"

The kwami nodded, and turned to Plagg, "You feel it too?"

Looking up from a small cave made out of cheese, Plagg rolled his eyes, "Probably, I don't know."

Adrien frowned, "What is it?"

"The Bee miraculous is being mishandled." She shook her head, "You haven't had a miraculous long enough to be able to sense these sort of magical shifts. Your father, Fu, and I can, however."

"What do we do now?" He murmured, leaning on the kitchen counter.

She sized him up carefully, picking her words carefully, "I think we should see how Marinette and your father handle this, but I also think you should be prepared for a quick trip back to Paris."

Looking away, he frowned, "Can't _you_ go?"

"I could," She admitted, "But Ladybug and Chat Noir are wielded when miraculous are misused. All of the other miraculous are meant to work together. And—" Her voice dropped off, as though she wanted to add more, but changed her mind.

The boy felt his voice raising, "Dad's going to fight her, though!"

Celine pressed her lips together, "There are consequences to having too many miraculous wielders in one location. Even sending you back to Paris is a risk. I'll have to call Fu and tell him to come here." She pulled out her phone, beginning to type, and added, "If the Bee miraculous user stole from his apartment, he may as well relocate himself, Wayzz, and the Fox miraculous for the time being."

"What happens?"

Her expression darkened, "Magical demons. Hydras, Cerberuses, Dragons. It hasn't really happened since the time of ancient Greece and the middle ages. You don't want that happening now. All but one miraculous is active now."

"What if you returned to Paris to give up your miraculous?" He suggested.

The woman shook her head, smiling slightly, despite her grim words, "In truth, there's only two ways a miraculous wielder loses their miraculous."

"What, stolen or death?"

"I'm not returning to Paris." She told him, "Gabriel Agreste and I are not—we're not good for each other."  
Studying her carefully, Adrien could see her searching for a way to exit the conversation. He frowned, "What do you mean?"

Celine gave him a charming smile, hoping it would distract him, saying, "I don't want to skew your opinion of him any further, Adrien. Just trust me."

He nodded, trying to hide the hesitation. The boy used to trust his father, too.

* * *

Marinette pulled a women's jacket off the stylist's rack, donning it quickly. She hadn't taken her coat with her when she was apprehended, but now she was in the park, freezing. Fall was in full swing, and the nip in the air was more like a bite in the ass.

Gabriel materialized next to her, "Did you sense it?"

She stilled, and glanced up at him. "What?"

He sighed, remembering that she had only been a wielder for a year. It takes decades to wield a miraculous properly, anyhow. "There's probably a safety in numbers. For now, don't worry."

Her eyes widened, realizing that he was speaking in a voice hardly above a whisper. She returned his tone, "Is it Yellow Jacket?"

"It is." Gabriel admitted, "I wish I could say I was lying to you, but I'm not. Stick with me, kiddo."

The girl snorted, and he realized that he had gotten too close, and took a step away, not looking towards a collection of trees, where he sensed the miraculous user hiding.

Grimacing, he watched Jonas posing under those very trees, the photographer barking. Gabriel couldn't move the location. It had taken two hours to set up, and it would be far too suspicious if he were to move the spot after carefully selecting it.

The model was given a break, and Gabriel beckoned him over, while pushing Marinette forward, and speaking in Spanish, "I want you to meet one of my top designers, Monsier Amorin."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." He delivered to her in shaky French, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She smiled gently, "Likewise."

Jonas's brown eyes studied her carefully, "Are you alright? You seem nervous."

Gabriel felt the corners of his eyes crinkling into a smile. "Marinette is the principal designer of the guerilla collection. I'm sure she's going to ask you to participate eventually."

"What? No—"

"The guerilla collection? I didn't realize you were a designer!" He grinned at her, winking, "I figured you were an up-and-coming model."

Marinette chuckled, "Among other things, I'm a clothing designer."

Gabriel heard the miraculous user lose an arrow, and felt himself acting without thinking. He pushed the girl out of the way. Landing in Jonas's suppled arms, she whirled back, glaring at him just to see an arrow fly by her head, landing ten feet past them, and exploding.

There was a lot of fire, and everyone was sent back a few feet, covered in dirt and scraped up. The arrow stuck out of the ground, an epicenter of sparse fires that were beginning to grow.

Everyone took cover, and he growled to her, "Get. The. Arrow."

Nodding, she pushed the model away from her, running towards the arrow. Breaking it over her knee, she watched at the magic dissipated in bubbly yellow sprarkles. She sighed, and transformed in Ladybug. Everyone seemed alright, save for a little soreness.

Gabriel approached her and frowned, looking back towards the tree, but he saw another arrow whiz past him, leading to another explosion that floored him. He scowled, and stood up, looking down at the unsteady girl whose eyes were scanning for a flash of yellow that was darting from building to building, surrounded her in the park. "I'll return shortly. You can handle yourself until then."

She looked at him for a moment, and he stilled. _Panic, Ladybug, doesn't suit you,_ he wanted to say sarcastically, but her fear was so raw, and he didn't need magical powers to see it on her face.

He made quick work, barking orders to his employees, and there were several company cars idling anyway, and pretty soon, everyone was either darting home, or being driven.

Nathalie drove the black sedan, as Gorilla was tasked with evacuating reporters outside the park. Gabriel sat in the passenger seat, and his curiosity was getting the better of him.

A large explosion rocked the car, and he turned to her. She looked impassive, as though it were a regular drive him. He sighed, "I'm guessing you do this a lot with Adrien. I know it's your job, but I appreciate you keeping him safe."

The assistant gritted her teeth as she pulled into the Agreste garage, "Thank you, sir."

He wondered if she was lying, and if she didn't inform him when Adrien started to disappear for hours at a time. Maybe Nathalie always knew?

Gabriel scowled, stepping into the main hall, and heading to his bedroom to change. "I need you to reschedule today's shoot. I have a feeling that Ladybug will be occupied for the rest of the day."

Nathalie frowned. It had taken two weeks to put this day together, with everyone's schedule. "Of course, sir."

A majority of the entire company would be grounded for the day. It worked to his favor, at least. "I'll be in my bedroom, working on the Jagged Stone sketches."

And his assistant didn't disturb him when he was sketching unless the situation was dire.

He sighed, stepping into his bedroom, and glanced into his mirror, "Okay Nooroo."

"We're back?" The kwami was spinning in the air. "We're really doing this?"

Rolling his eyes, he peeled off his jacket, pulled away his scarf, and looked at the purple fairy, "Transform me!"

After the lavender flash of light subsided, he swore, staring into the mirror with complete disgust.

Pastels were in this season, but Nooroo had gone too far. This was the second most humiliating moment in his life. The first being revealing his identity to his son, effectively being outdone by Ladybug. The third most embarrassing moment of his life was probably being rejected by Madame Peacock back in 1994 or 1995 (he couldn't remember which year it was).

* * *

He landed next to the blogger, who filming from a safe distance, on a rooftop with that Nino boy. "How about a deal?" Hawkmoth asked her, not waiting for a response, "I need a champion—I'm sure you've studied my past, you know what that is—and _you,_ Alya Césaire, fit the bill."

The girl glared at him, and although her look could freeze over hell, he wasn't too intimidated. She glanced back down at Ladybug. "Lady Wifi?"

"Lady Wifi." He looked at the boy, who had panned the camera over to him. He rolled his eyes, and produced a white butterfly, which landed on the phone Alya clasped in her hands. "Let's go. Bubbler, take footage of Yellow Jacket. We'll need it later."

Alya transformed into the same outfit she had when she was an akuma, black, white, sleek. Probably his favorite design. "Yellow Jacket?" She still was herself, at least.

Hawkmoth flew forward, not bothering to wait for the girl to follow.

Ladybug's eyes didn't stray off of Yellow Jacket when Hawkmoth landed next to her, but the arrows were around her, and she'd have to act fast. She'd learned her lesson the first time. The magic had changed, and breaking or touching the arrows caused them to explode.

Hopefully the Bee miraculous user couldn't just set them off.

"If you break or touch those, they'll explode." She remarked. "Can she set them off herself?"

He shook his head, "We do have a solution, though."

Hawkmoth pulled out his phone as Lady Wifi popped out.

Okay, Ladybug was shocked at Hawkmoth's outfit change. A lavender suit with narrow lapels and a matching mask? That was new. She was shocked when Alya, _her Alya,_ waved, smiling.

"Alya. No. You can't."

Something wordlessly pass between the girl and Hawkmoth, and she looked displeased at his voice inside her mind, but swiped her phone rapidly, many pause signs flying and landing on the arrows.

Hawkmoth leaned down, picking up a pebble, and rolled it in his fingers, "That _should_ do it, in theory." He threw the small rock, watched it land, bouncing off of several shafts of arrows, unharmed. No explosions, no theatrics. "Yes. Get to it, Ladybug."

"Don't boss me around." She grumbled, but before she could take out her yo-yo and loose the arrows, the pause symbols disappeared, and she looked up.

Okay, Ladybug was shocked at Hawkmoth's outfit change, but damn. Yellow Jacket was probably the biggest shock. She was blonde, her hair done in a chic beehive, and she looked dangerous and beautiful.

Hawkmoth looked unimpressed, and glanced down at the two teenage girls, who's mouths had dropped open. Madame Peacock always had the most dramatic costumes. Alya took a picture, as well, which the bee-themed superhero welcomed gracefully.

She held her jeweled bow in one hand, and a bow in the other. "So, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you must be fairly shocked to see me."

"I am no longer surprised by anything. I am just a mere observer, looking out into the void of life." Ladybug deadpanned. She had found that her humor was dry without Chat.

The man rolled his eyes, and snapped at the girl, "What do you want?"

"Oh? This doesn't concern you." She answered, turning back towards the girl, "I just came down to say that I have _every_ intention of destroying you, Ladybug."

She scowled back, glaring at the girl as though she were looking directly into the sun, "Tell me something I haven't heard before, Yellow Jacket."

Yellow Jacket smirked, apparently a sign that she _liked_ the name. Being called a wasp was better than a bee, and she replied, "I'm going to take your miraculous."

Ladybug stepped to the side, as an arrow landed on the tree beside her. Her limbs were so sore from dodging and twisting away from hits anyway, a small explosion couldn't be much worse.

The arrow did nothing but stick out of the bark. The girl read the inscription on the side. ' _Destruction'_. It was simple enough. "You need to improve your aim before you can even get close."

The yellow and black villain scoffed, "Don't you want to know why?"

In an instant the arrows disappeared, and Lady Wifi took a step forward, ready to throw down. Ladybug darted to her side, "She can be reasoned with, I'm sure." She jutted her chin out to the girl, "I don't want to know why, actually."

She sighed, she had spent the better part of a half hour fighting tooth-and-nail. Yellow Jacket had the upper hand with all of the arrows keeping Ladybug grounded. Now that they were all gone, and her adrenaline was depleting, she groaned.

"I'm sure you're reasons for wanting to take me down are important, and valid." Ladybug assured the girl, who stood on the grass, "But you're new to this. We can come to some sort of compromise, or agreement."

"Why would I want to do that?" The blonde spat back.

Marinette rolled her bottom lip, biting it for a moment before forcing out the words, "I need a new partner."

Lady Wifi frowned and looked back at Hawkmoth, murmuring, "So that's the secret? The power of friendship?"

 _Hell no._ Hawkmoth told her, of course, only she could hear.

"HA!" Yellow Jacket darted up, so that Ladybug would have to look up to her, "Do you think I want to associate with a second-rate hero like you? You're a manipulative liar, you're another Hawkmoth waiting to happen, and the evidence is standing right behind you in a hideous suit. Getting rid of you is a public service!"

Ladybug faltered backwards, Hawkmoth raised an eyebrow (surrendering to Yellow Jacket's point), and Lady Wifi glared. Yellow Jacket looked uninterested.

"Well, I'm done here. Obviously, some adjustments will have to be made. Until next time, Marinette."

The heroine would've collapsed if the entire world wasn't watching her reaction. She whirled back to Hawkmoth. Even his platinum blonde hair had a light purple twinge to it. "Well, the suit is different," she told him, faking a casual demeanor.

He ignored her, and turned towards the blogger, "Your help was appreciated. Thank you. Return to your rooftop and I'll de-transform you from there."

Alya turned towards her best friend, who looked back at her weakly. She glanced around, and realized the festival of reporters and police officers who surrounded the park. "For what it's worth, it's not true." She told her friend, before slipping into her phone, disappearing from sight.

Hawkmoth looked around, placing his hands in his pockets, and whispered, "Well, I'm going to get out of here before I'm arrested. Call Nathalie in fifteen, we can get back to work."

She nodded, but hadn't stopped shaking. He flew away. Pulling out her yoyo, she threw it, and flew off.

* * *

Chloe landed in the alley next to her father's hotel, changing back into the blonde snob she knew herself to be.

"That went well." Vennum told her insincerely, "You _almost_ hit her."

She huffed, opening her purse for the bee kwami to fly into, "We'll try again, Vennum."

Slipping into the back entrance, she rode up the elevator, and pulled out her phone, which had begun to ring.

 _Adrien?_

"Adrien?" She answered immediately, there was no point in pretending to wait for it to ring for a few second.

"Chloe." He sighed, "I'm sorry for not returning your calls."

The girl stiffened, and stepped out of the elevator, and promptly turned and walked into the stairwell. "No, it's fine. Are you alright? It's been a month. Are you okay?"

She heard him suck in a breath, and say, "I'm fine, I promise. I just wanted to make sure that you were alright."

"W-what do you mean? I'm fine!" She waved a hand in front of her, as though he could see her, "Why wouldn't I be?"

He chuckled gently, "I've been ignoring you, and my friends, and that's not fair."

"Well, we've always been more than friends, haven't we?" She murmured, and the words hung in the distance between the two teenagers like leaves in the wind.

"You've been like a sister to me, Chloe. I'm sorry I haven't been acting like it recently."

Gritting her teeth, she ground her heel into the cement. _Like a sister_. "Why did you leave, Adrien? Was it Marinette—"

"No, Chloe."

"—because if she _hurt you_ I will _destroy her._ " She promised him, "She doesn't get to get away with how she's treated you."

"It wasn't her." He raised his voice slightly, and paused, composing himself. "It wasn't _directly_ her. I would never blame anyone for my leaving. You know that."

Chloe and Adrien knew each other all their respective lives. She knew that he wouldn't consider his answer acceptable, and he knew exactly who she'd blame next. She started pacing in the stairwell, and a very unladylike growl came out of her, "What did your father do?"

He frowned, "I left because of my mom, Chloe. I didn't tell you because mothers have always been a sore subject."

That froze her in her tracks, "You found her?"

She heard him click his tongue, and swallow words he didn't have to say. They both knew that the model didn't have the time, resources, or skillset to locate a woman who didn't want to be found.

 _Oh._

 _He always knew,_ she realized.

How much had Marinette, the manipulative, lying, cheating girl, had rubbed off on her Adrien? He didn't act like this a year ago, before he got to school. Sure, he might have _lied to his best friend of fifteen years_ about his knowledge of his mother's whereabouts, but he wasn't the type to leave, either. His mother had left, and Adrien thought the world of her, but that didn't mean he wanted to aspire to be like her, either.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, and knowing that it wasn't enough, he added, "If father ever found out that I knew, he would've found her. They're toxic together, Chloe. I couldn't let that happen."

Frankly, Chloe had no idea how Gabriel and Celine Agreste interacted. She remembered one day, Celine was an international, successful model with happiness to spare. She remembered the next time she saw her, being rolled around in a wheelchair by a devoted husband, with a heavy heart resting within her.

That was it. Chloe occupied Adrien's time when his mother was at extensive physical therapy, so she didn't see her that often, anyway.

Chloe exhaled, "It's alright. I hope she's well."

"She is." He answered genuinely, "I think I'll be back in Paris soon, I'm just not sure on the 'when' quite yet. We'll catch up more when I return, though. I have to go cook dinner, I'll talk to you later, alright?"

"Right." She hung up, and shut her eyes, leaning against the wall. Every time they spoke over the phone, those three words she wished she could say pierced her skin, killing her a bit more, each time.

Something had to be done about Marinette before Adrien returned to Paris.

* * *

Celine didn't want a lot of things out of life. She wanted to finish her degree in anthropology, and teach. So she did. She wanted to write novels as a creative reaction to her days as a superheroine. So she did. She wanted to live a quiet life, on a mountainside, and forget about her husband in Paris. So she did.

Or so she thought.

Now, she was in her office, her fingers clutching her a pen tightly. She had been grading essays when he called.

Luckily, Gabriel hadn't changed his cellphone number in almost three decades. She recognized the number immediately, blanched, and answered, "How did you get this number?"

"Celine." His voice was soft and breathless. "I—I didn't expect—I…" He trailed off, flustered beyond his years.

She glanced at her monitor, the Ladyblog, which had a pretty clear picture of a young girl, dubbed 'Yellow Jacket.' "What, Gabriel?" She asked, slightly amused at his behavior.

"The Bee miraculous was stolen."

"I know." Her voice was low, and her anger was bubbling beneath the surface.

"Right!" He stammered, "I—I wanted to know if you felt the shift too."

She opened a drawer, and nudged away one of Pooki's nest, and pulled out a picture of Gabriel and her. "That can't have been the only reason."

Sighing, he admitted, "Fu told me he's heading in your direction. Which can only mean that our son will return to Paris in his place."

Swallowing, she replied quietly, "I think he'll be okay. There's no reason to worry."

"Of course." Gabriel agreed, though his words were empty.

He frowned, sitting on the edge of his bed. He glanced to a picture of his wife, hanging over the dresser. It was an editorial piece from the late nineties after they had gotten engaged.

"You're worried."

"It's the Bee miraculous." He snapped back, "It's not Chat…Adrien fighting me anymore. I had a line. They never got hurt. Ladybug and Chat Noir were never going to die under my watch."

Celine inhaled, "I know. It seems like Yellow Jacket was aiming to kill."

"I don't want him to come to Paris. Ladybug and I can handle this." He told her, "I'm not putting my son at risk."

"But you'll put Marinette at risk? Ladybug and Chat Noir need to fight together." Celine told him pointedly, "Magic has to be kept in balance."

He scowled. She knew more about miraculous magic than he did, and it had always irked him, "She's been fighting without him for the past month, Celine. I think it'll be okay."

"Still, it's not acceptable. There's an equilibrium." She answered, taking on an air of traditionalism. "Adrien, Marinette, and you are the first line of defense. Should things go sour, Fu and I will select a Fox miraculous wielder and a Turtle miraculous wielder, and I'll lead them to the front lines."

Paling, he quickly disagreed, "Celine, no. You can't—"

"I _know_ it's not ideal." She cut him off, and he could hear the rustling of papers, "I have to go, some of us have jobs. I'll…I'm probably not going to call you, actually. I hope you're well."

He breathed out, and gritted his teeth, "I know. Thanks for not…I guess—dragging me through the dirt when you could've. I miss you, but I understand, and I'm grateful that there was never a messy divorce."

Celine chuckled gently, "I wish we were better together. Maybe we should try therapy the next time I'm in Paris."

"I don't have the time," he told her flatly, "and you don't have the patience. I love you and only you, Celine. Reconsider calling me."

He hung up, and stepped outside his bedroom, ready to return to the park for the photoshoot.

* * *

Marinette glanced down at the lasagna her dad had made, making note of the extra-large serving her father had cut for her, she swallowed. The girl really didn't have an appetite. The photoshoot was terrible before the fight with Yellow Jacket. Yellow Jacket was terrible. The photoshoot after the fight was terrible.

Everything, needless to say, was terrible.

Still, she didn't like crime-fighting on an empty stomach, or making her parents worry about her…or skipping lasagna in general because honestly Tom Dupain is a treasure of a chef? Marinette took several bites, swallowing quickly.

"So…Yellow Jacket?" Sabine smiled gently, "Are you alright, honey? You look a little battered."

Tom glanced between the two girls, "And Hawkmoth?"

The girl stiffened, "She stole a miraculous. At first, I hoped that she'd be on our side, but I was wrong. Hawkmoth and I are momentarily teaming up to stop her."

Her father scowled, "I don't want you near that man, Marinette. Hawkmoth will never be trusted. He was a jackass in the nineties and he's still a jackass now."

"Tom! That's no way to—"

"After what he put our daughter through? He's crossed too many lines."

"It's okay," Marinette frowned, "If I had it my way, Hawkmoth would be nowhere near me, but sometimes life doesn't work out that way. Chat Noir should return to Paris soon. I'm sure he's seen the news at this point."

 _You'd think he'd call,_ she thought bitterly, _unless he's already on his way._

Sabine, who was sitting next to her daughter, squeezed her shoulder, "Anything we can do?"

She shook her head, "Just be careful, I guess. If an arrow hits you, break it in half." Standing, she took her half eaten plate of food, "I'm going to go upstairs, finish this, and take a nap before I have to patrol," Marinette assured them with a yawn. "I'll be back by one in the morning, I promise."

Bounding up the stairs, she regretted the distance she was placing between her and her parents. Tikki popped out of her hiding place in Mari's closet, "Don't you want to spend time with them?"

"I do." She admitted, setting the plate down and shoveling the last bite of the lasagna into her mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, she went into the bathroom to wash her face. "But I can't lie to them, I can't…" She felt the words escape her, and her eyes water.

In all honestly, Marinette had been delaying her breakdown all day. For all the thick skin that the heroine had developed over the past year, being called a manipulative liar had taken its toll. Being called a 'future Hawkmoth' and then having to stand next to that monster for a good portion of the day afterwards had ripped her apart.

Tikki floated onto Marinette's shoulder, her arm rubbing her cheek as she sobbed. "Marinette, it's not true, what that girl said."

It didn't really help, the girl was constructing an epic play-by-play of all the terrible things she's done since discovering Gabriel's identity, since getting captured over and over by Hawkmoth, since lying to Adrien, since lying to the world about her feelings towards Adrien/Chat Noir. Was she turning into the man she despised?

Her face was incredibly hot, and she stepped into her shower, turning on the cold water, letting it run over her. Tikki sat on the shower head, saying, "I mean it, Mari. You and Gabriel are nothing alike."

"He did what he did out of love for _his wife._ " She replied tersely, "He wanted the miraculous to find her! His motives were for someone he dedicated his life to. What about me, Tikki? What about Adrien? What if I turn into him? What if Adrien never returns and I fail—"

The kwami floated down, letting the water drip over her as Marinette stared, wide eyed. "Gabriel and Celine were partners, Mari. You and Adrien are partners, but you two are different."

"How? How is it different? I'm a designer, like Gabriel, and Adrien's a model, like his mom! The parallels—"

"Hawkmoth and Madame Peacock were partners but don't get confused, they were as polar opposite as they came. She loathed attention, and her miraculous brought onto her a spotlight she didn't want. He had a miraculous that kept him in the shadows, despite his shameless desire for glory and fame. There's a difference between the two of you and them." She insisted.

"What difference?" Marinette muttered, turning the knobs in the shower to cut the water.

Tikki sighed, "There's a difference between a dress that fits just enough to be worn out in public and a dress that fits like a glove. Gabriel Agreste and Celine Russo fought tooth-and-nail to fulfill the expectations, abilities, and side-effects of their miraculous. It tore them apart."

Mari's eyes, which at this point were half-shut from exhaustion, snapped wide open, "What do you mean?"

"They weren't a perfect fit." The kwami replied plainly, as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "Most wielders aren't. It's unreasonable to expect an eons-old miraculous and a human with a relatively-short lifespan to work well together. You and Adrien are probably the first wielders in three centuries to actually be perfect for us."

She stared at the tiny, tiny god, "What about Fu?"

"What about him?" The kwami smiled gently, politely.

The girl swallowed, "Nevermind. I guess."

The kwami started to tug on the girl's t-shirt. "Time for bed, Mari. You need your sleep."

Trembling, she climbed up the ladder to her bed, not bothering to dry her hair, "Could you stay awake? I don't want her to attack."

Tikki promised that she would keep guard as soon as Marinette fell asleep.

* * *

Adrien began to zip up his suitcase through glossy eyes. His vacation was being cut short, and Fu needed a bedroom to stay in. He sat on the bed for a moment, gathering his thoughts and delaying the inevitable departure.

He didn't watch the footage of Ladybug and his father fighting Yellow Jacket. Alya and Nino had been texting him non-stop, describing the action fantastically, and it was tearing him into little tiny pieces. The young journalist even began to ask if he knew where Chat Noir was, so that she could kick his ass for not showing up, _once again._

Plagg sat on the suitcase, whining, "Do we _have_ to go, kid? I like it here."

"You like anywhere with cheese." Adrien replied. He didn't want to leave either, but if he showed a bit of hesitation, his kwami would use that as an excuse to stay.

"I like hunting too."

The boy rolled his eyes, "Do you always stalk your siblings? You can't hunt Pooki, as I've said before."

Plucking Plagg up, he placed the protesting kwami in his shirt pocket and grabbed his suitcase. Fu hadn't arrived yet, but Adrien didn't really want to run into him anyhow.

Celine waited in the main room, and turned to him, her wet eyes betraying her stoic face, "Adrien…I'm sorry you couldn't stay longer."

He smiled, "It's alright. Marinette needs me, and she's my partner." Adrien paused, "Could you come to Paris for Christmas? Father and I—" he cleared his throat, "—we haven't really celebrated the holiday since you left."

She raised an eyebrow, and smiled gently, "I'll be there for Christmas. I still have to meet your girlfriend, you know."

Adrien let out a sigh, mainly because he stopped disagreeing with his mother about Marinette's status in his life. "Alright."

His mother sighed, standing and hugging him tightly, "I'm going to miss you, darling." She pulled back, examined him for a minute, and her eyes widened. "Wait. Here."

In a flash, she flew into her bedroom, and he could hear her swearing distinctly as she rifled through what had to be her drawers.

Emerging from her quarters, she brushed away a flyaway lock of sun-spun hair casually. She carried a dark brown double-breasted pea-coat, and small weather-beaten journal that looked older than him. He recognized the jacket. The journal was bound in what had to have been a nice ribbon. "Dad looked for that jacket for ages, you know."

Celine shot him a devious look, "It always looked better on me."

He took the jacket, shrugging it on as though he had been wearing it for ages. His mother handed him the journal, and he began to unwrap the journal, before she placed a protective hand over his. Adrien looked at her, catching her emerald eyes keeping her dangerous thoughts at bay.

"I need you to give this to your father when everything goes wrong." She demanded, "Don't read it, whatever you do."

"How…how will I know?"

She gave him a supportive smile, and kissed his forehead, "Trust me, you'll know. Until then, put the book somewhere safe, where Gabe won't find it."

Plagg landed on the notebook, phasing through it gently. He popped back up, "Oh. My. God."

The woman pursed her lips, "It's time to go, honey. The quicker you get there, the quicker you can win."

"How do I approach father? How do I face him?" Adrien frowned, "I didn't—I haven't seen him since I found out."

Celine shrugged, "This wouldn't' be the first time this sort of thing has happened to him, Adrien. I didn't react well when I found out, either. It'll blow over…eventually."

"Alright. I love you, mom."

"I love you too."

He felt himself hesitate at the door, wanting to spend as much time with her as he possibly could. There was always a sacrifice to be made when it came to magic. In Adrien's case, it was the time he spent with his family. He kissed his mother goodbye, and was out the door.

Fu was waiting outside, granting them a modicum of privacy. Adrien froze, not sure of what to say to the guardian.

He handed the boy his apartment's keys. "Watch my place, if you could. I'm proud of you."

The boy nodded, but didn't say anything. Adrien took of his father's jacket as he climbed into the car. Tossing it into the passenger seat, along with Plagg and the journal, he turned the key into the ignition.

Adrien Agreste was heading back to Paris.


	13. Chapter 13

Chloe sighed, accepting her fate as Marinette's lab partner for chemistry. She eyed Sabrina across the room, who was paired with Nino. Glancing over, Alya was paired with Alix. This teacher was clueless to their class's dynamic, but the princess of Paris didn't protest.

She frowned, and glanced over the steps of the lab on a sheet of paper. "Marinette, did you get—"

Getting cut off by a phone call was probably the most frustrating thing on the planet.

Her lab partner's phone was going off. Mari fumbled through her purse with a distinct lack of grace. The girl tried to hide the phone, but Chloe saw the caller ID easily, as her phone slipped out of her hands (Mari fingers may as well have been butter) and clattered to the floor.

Mari silenced the phone, and the blonde wasn't sure how to feel. Rage that he was even _calling her to begin with,_ or rage that _she didn't even bother to pick up the damn phone,_ she wasn't sure. Chloe shot the girl a shark-like smile.

"Sorry," Marinette said weakly, "I—I'm sorry, let's just do this experiment." She resumed her focus back to the experiment, some chromatography thing involving paper towels and black pens.

Chloe watched her curiously, "It's alright, if you want to take the call," she told her innocently, "He must not call you very often."

"No. He doesn't." She replied, unphased.

The socialite huffed, _maybe I'm too tired to actually insult her._ The girl pulled out her compact, glancing under her eyes. Did the concealer cover the under-eye circles that emerged overnight? Practicing nightly was ridiculously hard on the complexion, and she looked over at Marinette, whose skin was practically flawless.

The pig-tailed girl sighed and stared back, "What now?"

"How do you—what concealer do you use? How do you set it? What's your process?" She spat out without thinking. _How do you always look like you've gotten a year's worth of sleep and go out every night for patrols?_

Alya, who had a nasty habit of eavesdropping whirled around, "I _told_ you, girls in Paris want to know!"

"Alya, I'm not going make a makeup tutorial for the Ladyblog." She turned back to her lab partner, "Chloe, as you've reminded me in the past, your makeup is probably more expensive than my entire wardrobe. You look like you always do."

"Which is phenomenal, obviously." Chloe beamed.

Marinette gave her a weak smile, "I think the word you mean is 'obnoxious,' but congrats on using a four-syllable word."

Chloe and Alya stared at her quizzically. The joke didn't land.

"That was real _super_ , Mari!" Nino joked from across the room, because apparently the entire class was tuned into Chloe and Marinette.

The superheroine grinned back with a distinct blue sparkle in her eyes.

* * *

Adrien sighed, placing his phone back into his pocket as he began to fumble with the keys to Fu's apartment.

"She's probably pissed." He told Plagg.

In truth, he didn't realize that it was early morning until he tried to call her. He had been driving for eight hours straight, and not going to school for a month also made him lose track of the days. Apparently, it was a school day.

When he finally got the key to the back door open, he skipped past the studio space (reserved for clients), climbed up the stairs, found the main bedroom, and promptly set his bag down before falling into the bed. He had already texted his mother that he was in Paris, safe and sound.

He let his eyes shut for a second, and he was almost sleeping when Plagg started bumping his nose. "You said we'd go grocery shopping."

"I said a lot of things." Adrien groaned, grabbing the black kwami and holding him close, "Let me sleep, Plagg."

Yet, the boy sighed, and rolled out of the bed. He could always catch up on sleep later. As far as Paris was concerned, Adrien wasn't in Paris. The apartment was freezing, so the boy pulled the pea coat around him, buttoning it up. After searching a coat closet, he found a wool-knit cap that would hide his blonde head of hair.

Inhaling, he internally prayed that no one would recognize the model at the grocery store.

He glanced at his phone, deciding that some kind of paella would be appropriate. It'd last a few days, so he could focus on finding Yellow Jacket. Marinette had school, work, and her identity working against her. Adrien didn't have any obligations that weighed Chat Noir down. There was no shoot to attend, no piano to practice, Chinese to learn, or fencing partner to spar.

There was Marinette, however.

Adrien wasn't obligated to her romantically at the moment, but both of them knew they'd get together _eventually._ Right now wasn't the time, he convinced himself, there was always time. He told himself there'd be time after Hawkmoth's defeat, and now he told himself that there'd be time after Yellow Jacket. In passing, Adrien wondered if there would ever be a time when Paris wasn't in immediate magical danger.

Grabbing a handful of reusable bags, he headed out the door.

Keeping his head down, he ducked into nearest grocery store he could find. It wasn't too far from the Agreste headquarters, which didn't put his mind at ease, but it wasn't the lunch break, so none of the employees should've been there in the first place. Cursing himself, Adrien wished that he stopped to get groceries via car before getting to the apartment.

The less time he spent in public, the better.

He knew that his kwami wouldn't be satisfied until he went to the cheese section and ordered an embarrassingly large amount of camembert. Adrien stood, waiting, trying not to look at anyone.

Glancing down at his phone, he texted Marinette.

 _Adrien: Back in Paris. Staying at Fu's for the time being. I'm making dinner if you'd like to join._

 _Lovebug 3 is typing…_

 _Lovebug 3 is typing…_

"Adrien?"

He tore his eyes away from his phone, placing it sleekly into his pocket. The boy gave a sideways glance to the voice, and replied, "You must have me confused with someone else."

Nathalie raised an eyebrow in an amused fashion, and the boy frowned, and turned to her. She smiled gently, "Your hair is longer."

He felt himself chuckling gently. "I've missed a few hairdressing appointments."

"Should I call your father?"

"You could," Adrien frowned, "I wouldn't want you to lose your job because of me."

She tore her eyes off of him, "Of all the days to run out of creamer, right?" Nathalie had his father on speed-dial. Why the woman still owned a Blackberry was beyond the boy. "Monsieur Agreste? Adrien's back in—" Her eyes widened, and she looked down at her phone. "He hung up."

"Just wait." He pulled his phone back out, and waved it at her noncommittally.

His father's ringtone began to play.

Nathalie shot him a sympathetic look. "You should answer it. He always gets cranky if you don't answer immediately, you know."

The boy smiled, "I know." He accepted the call, trying to sound casual, "Father."

Gabriel groaned, and murmured icily, "Nathalie suspects that you're Chat Noir. As far as Paris is concerned, you're back in town, but Chat Noir isn't."

 _Fuck._ He starred his father's assistant, and found himself turning away, "Why should I trust you?"

"Spare me, Adrien," he answered, "Is it really that far of a stretch, or are you being difficult? Protect your identity." Gabriel hung up on him.

The boy sighed. "Nathalie," He turned back to her, "Sorry about that."

She raised her eyebrows, "No. It's alright. Are you…coming home?" _Are you going to get a haircut or get your eyebrows done before you do? He might kill you if you look like that._

He shook his head, "I'm staying at a friend's. You have my number if you need me, however."

Adrien strolled up to the counter, picking up the large amount of camembert. Nathalie wasn't phased (the boy had a really odd guilty pleasure for cheese), but looked at her phone and scowled, telling him, "Monsieur Agreste requires me back at the office _immediately,_ apparently. I have to go."

The assistant stood for a moment, pausing as though she wantedg to hug the boy. Exhaling, she left, heading for the registers.

He glanced at his phone.

 _Lovebug 3: Do you mind if we have dinner a tad later? Maybe after patrol? I have to help to help in the bakery before I go._

Panicking, he typed back:

 _Adrien: About that. Nathalie suspects I'm Chat. I'm afraid your superhero partner can't return to Paris for another couple days. I can help at the bakery if you need the extra paws!_

 _Lovebug 3: Yes. Please. See you at five?_

A half-hour later, he was walking back to Fu's studio, lugging several bags of groceries. He started to unpack, when he groaned, picking up the kwami off of the half-eaten camembert, "Plagg, this stuff is supposed to last a while."

"Oh please, child. You don't have an entire staff to catch you with a few pounds of cheese now." The black cat scoff, flitting away to the top of an aloe plant above the sink. "Let me live, cruel master."

The boy rolled his eyes, pulling out ingredients to prep for paella. Hopefully, he could get a majority of the prep done, so that Mari wouldn't have to wait long.

* * *

The paparazzi didn't recognize Adrien, mainly due his reputation as a model and Agreste.

Adrien didn't wear vintage clothing. Ever. He was a model often known for being on trend with current fashion, with the latest collections that were no more than a year old. Hell, he had set some of the trends. Blonde was back, for example.

So, when Adrien stepped out of his beatnik, dirt green sedan in a pea coat and wool cap that were both almost as old as him, he wasn't noticed by the photographers around the bakery.

He was also consistent about being meticulously groomed, a well-known fact for members of the Agreste family. A month away allowed for his hair to grow past his ears, largely un-styled and unrecognizeable. He wasn't surprised when he discovered that his hair had become incredibly shaggy, with eyebrows to match. It made him look less like a model, which pleased him.

So, when Marinette ran straight towards him, leaping into his arms, the reporters wondered if there was a third, unknown man in her life. The general public already figured that she had a particular fondness for blondes in general.

Adrien also wasn't someone to hug others and be overly physically affectionate in public. His bodyguard kept everyone at an arms-length away, and his father had taught him that touching others in public beyond a handshake was improper.

"Adrien!"

So when he picked her up and spun her in his arms, the reporters were baffled. He hugged her with the intensity of a man stepping onto land after being deployed at sea for months. Tears sprang to his eyes as he set her back down on the pavement.

 _It was definitely Adrien Agreste, back in Paris, coming out of a deadbeat car in a deadbeat coat and cap._

He pressed a thumb to her cheekbone, wiping away a single tear, "I didn't mean to make you cry, princess."

Her hand reached up, touching his hand, "I can't believe it's you. You look so different."

Shrugging, he winked at her, "What do you say we continue this in the bakery?"

Marinette nodded, grabbing him by the hand and leading him down the alley behind the bakery, and through the back door. He peeled off his jacket and took off his hat. She handed him an apron that was mysteriously cat-themed.

"Your hair!" She murmured, her eyes devious, "It's so long now."

"Is that Adrien?" Sabine poked her head in from the front of house, "Look at you! I'd hug you, darling, but Tom and I are swamped up here. We need more of…everything, actually. Hop to it!"

Tom peered at him and Marinette, who looked like cheesy goofballs. They were both too giddy to function, "Isn't Alya and Nino coming over to help, too?"

"Surprise!" Marinette told him, "I promise, I told them to keep things light. I don't want you to be overwhelmed. They'll be here in a half hour."

He nodded, agreeing that questions would be incredibly difficult. "I'm sure they're used to you not answering questions."

She groaned, and handed him a large amount of dough to kneed, while she began to put icing on cupcakes. "You noticed that?"

Swallowing, he replied, "I did." He didn't comment on her fighting style, her increased involvement in the Gabriel brand, the Yellow Jacket fight. "I'm sorry about the love-triangle debacle. I'm sure our reunion out there didn't help your case."

"It's alright." Mari replied a bit too softly.

Adrien pressed his lips together, before offering, "If you want, I could reveal my identity and put the whole thing to rest."

"Been there, done that." She replied, "I loathe that everyone knows."

"Everyone knows what?" Alya asked, pulling Nino inside. Her hair was up, and she pulled her own apron off the shelf (it was made out of this newspaper print quilting cotton, and was rather adorable), while handing a music-themed apron to Nino.

The two teens rounded the corner, and spotted Adrien, who was leaning against the edge of the counter where he had been kneading.

"Surprise!" Marinette exclaimed.

 _Ah,_ Adrien though, pleased, _how many times will I get bear-hugged today?_

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you two that I was back," he admitted, "and I apologize for leaving without saying goodbye."

"Well, Mari said she'd kick our asses if we—"

Alya elbowed her boyfriend gently, "Anyway. Let's get to work. We can chat it up while we help with this rush, right?"

They all got to work fairly quickly, and when things had settled slightly, Nino was the first to break the comfortable silence.

"So where'd you go? Bahamas? Venice? Tokyo?"

"Germany." He replied honestly, "My mother's, to be specific."

Perking up, Alya asked, "I thought she was missing."

He shook his head, chuckling gently, "No, though she lives in the middle of nowhere. It's essentially 'missing'."

Marinette smiled, moving on to icing several other types of pastries. "Was it nice?"

"It was amazing."

When the bakery finally died down, Tom and Sabine let the four go with a bag of desserts. Adrien told them that they'd have dinner at—

"I'm watching an apartment for one of my friends." He lied, "Another model. I'm making paella!"

 _Please buy it, please buy it._ The boy thought as he drove them towards the studio.

Thankfully, Fu had put away most evidence that an old Chinese man lived there. He could chalk up the furniture and other decoration to—

"My friend really likes Chinese culture and design. Don't mind it!" Adrien opened the door for them politely, "He's out of town on business."

Marinette thanked her lucky stars that Fu took down the photographs of Celine, as well. The record player, which held the miraculous, was also gone. Alya and Nino wanted to snoop, and luckly, and luckily, Celine's bedroom was also packed up into tightly-wrapped boxes.

The room that Adrien was staying in wasn't packed up, at least. Nino and Alya were alone, examining the very Zen room.

"You think he bought this apartment?"

"It doesn't scream teenage boy." Alya replied confidently, "I don't think this is a model's apartment, though. There were Cheetos on the counter."

"Adrien bought those." Nino answered, "I agree, though, I don't think a model lives here. I'd guess whoever owns the parlor downstairs does, though."

She sighed, "I want to know why he left."

The DJ sighed. They had had this conversation before. Marinette informed them both that she would personally get the two of them akumatized (so that she could destroy them) if they bothered Adrien too much about it when he returned. He replied neutrally, "He'll tell us when he's ready, babe."

"I think it has to do with Chat Noir."

Nino scoffed, "Marinette isn't dating anyone, as she's said several times."

"You didn't notice how close they were?" She replied, "Marinette and Adrien were acting like he'd never left."

"That's how _we_ should be acting, Alya." He insisted, his voice in a hushed whisper, "That's how _I'm_ trying to act. Clearly whatever happened was a lot, and we should respect his privacy."

She huffed, crossing her arms, "Did you catch his hand on her waist when we were going up the stairs?"

"I caught you staring." He replied, snaking an arm around her, diving a kiss onto her protesting forehead.

Meanwhile, Adrien and Marinette manned the kitchen. They were finally alone. "Did you see the Yellow Jacket footage?"

"I got a play-by-play by the local superhero sportscasters." He replied, "I—I just can't believe that another miraculous could be used for evil." Adrien was glad that he was facing the stove, busy with cooking, while Marinette sat on the kitchen table.

She clicked her tongue in a very _Gabriel Agreste_ manner. "Tikki told me that not every wielder is a perfect fit. It's like a piece of clothing you can't alter. Yellow Jacket, Hawkmoth. Apparently, we're perfect fits."

Adrien smiled slightly. "I guess that makes sense. Still, I want to know why she's targeting you specifically."

Marinette shrugged, used to the attention, even negative. "Absolute power, a grudge? We're not going to figure out her identity unless we catch her de-transforming."

He grimaced, "I'm sorry I can't be there for a little bit. I—I should've stayed."

She walked up to him, and placed a hand on his back, feeling the cotton button-up in her fingers. "It was a lot for you. I should've been honest with you from the beginning as soon I as knew."

"I understand why you did what you did." Adrien told her, stirring the paella.

Mari prodded his lower back, "You're not mad at me?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at my father for making your life difficult. He took all the control he placed over me and transferred it over to you. He's still sending out akumas?"

He glanced at her, after feeling her stiffen. "Not with Yellow Jacket out," Marinette murmured.

"I guess there's one good thing about that villain, then."

Standing up on her toes, she kissed his cheek, blushing, "Here's two, kitty."

* * *

Chloe stood in the sublevel parking lot, firing arrows into an archery target she had pilfered as Yellow Jacket a few days after the fight. Somehow it as calming, pulling the string taught as she aimed for her prize, felt the stress and tension pour into her, and let it loose.

Her aim had improved over many nightly practices, and she discovered that as long as she channeled her energy, she could aim an arrow, straight and true.

She de-transformed, and without thinking, dialed Adrien's number.

He was back in Paris. She read a journalist's tweet before the story had even broke. There was a picture of him, there was a picture of him picking Marinette up and spinning her. Chloe tried her best to ignore the many pictures of their reunion.

"Chloe, do you know what time it is?" There came a tired, muffled groan.

Squeaking, she realized that it was close to four in the morning, "Ah—ah-ha, ha, you know me, Adrien. My makeup routine takes time, picking out the perfect outfit takes time." The socialite paused, "I'm sorry. Go back to sleep."

"It's fine, I'm wide awake." He assured her kindly, "I thought there was an akuma or Yellow Jacket attacking you when I saw the time. What's up?"

 _Well, now's the time for it._ "I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner Saturday night and catch up." She offered, "We can have a cheat day like we always do."

 _Four days, Marinette, you hear me?_ Chloe schemed pensively, _you have four more days with him until I rip you two apart and save him._

She also had four days to defeat Ladybug, by definition.

"That'd be perfect." He replied sweetly, "Can I go back to bed now?"

"Yes! I have to blend out my concealer anyway. Night." She lied, before abruptly hanging up.

Vennum poked up from his head out his his nest, made out of a Chinese takeout container. "You're going to defeat Ladybug in less than four days?" He asked her pointedly.

Chloe swallowed, "I am."

"Good. I wouldn't want my ward to fail twice." The bee floated up to her, "You have any honey? I'm hungry."

"It's not a failure if you learn something." She replied shortly, she strolled to her fridge, pulling out a mason jar of gourmet honey. Her butler was nowhere in sight, as she had bid him to leave her alone unless she called.

Superheroes had a heightened need for privacy, apparently.

Chloe handed the kwami the newly-opened jar. "At least Chat Noir isn't in Paris."

"True." Vennum replied, "Though, he might return after that fight."

She nodded, running her hand through her blonde ponytail, flicking it off her neck for a moment. "Doubtful."

* * *

Two days later, Gabriel turned down the street Nathalie was hoping he'd avoid. She kept her nose down in her tablet as he drove further, trying to answer e-mails. Their work at the office was done for the day, and now they were headed to his house, where her car was parked, as it usually was.

"You grew up around here, didn't you?" He asked her cautiously.

She stiffened, _there's no way he could know that. Lie. Lie._ "No, I grew up in Lyon, if you'll recall."

He chuckled, "Of course."

Nathalie pursed her lips, sinking back into perfect professionalism, "Is there any reason we're taking the long way back to the mansion?"

Shaking his head, he answered, "It's important to take different routes for security purposes."

Something about the way her boss's eyes flicked to a rusty green sedan clued her into his real intentions. Swallowing, she glanced up towards him, trying to read his expression for a moment.

Her finger flicked to an email with the subject line _Guerilla look book._ "Did you see the look book e-mail?"

"I asked our marketing team about a special edition of the Gabriel seasonal magazine. Editorials of all the clothing Marinette and I have designed next to the street candids. Interviews with the models involved. It'd be a huge undertaking." He explained at the next stoplight.

Her eyebrows furrowed, "Do you want me to forward this to Marinette?"

Gabriel grimaced, "Not yet. The whole thing would also include Adrien, and that situation is…fragile."

Nathalie relaxed, leaning back and crossing her legs, "Is there anything I can do?"

"I suppose you could call him and ask if he would be interested in being scheduled for shoots." He told her firmly.

"I'll do that." She replied, putting her nose back into her tablet as he drove further.

Maybe if she had looked up, she would've seen Ladybug diving across the street, sliding out of the way or an exploding arrow.

In about half a second, Gabriel's hand shot across her chest as he skidded the car into the intersection. The move was by no means expert, he wasn't much of a driver. The spin wasn't smooth as the tires screeched across the Parisian street. They were finally turned around. His chest rose and fell like a balloon. The wreckage of the explosion was behind them.

His hand over her torso receded back to the steering wheel. He began to drive away, speeding slightly. "My apologies, are you alright?"

Her own heart was palpitating. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

They passed the studio apartment where Adrien was staying. Gabriel didn't look, however. He continued talking to her, something about finding a safe place for them to both hide during the Yellow Jacket and Ladybug fight. Apparently, his reasoning was, "Nathalie, we're both liabilities to Marinette. We can't be anywhere where that villain could find us."

She wasn't really listening, however, until the car started ringing and she rolled her eyes. She really hated integrated tech cars.

* * *

Adrien watched as his father's car rolled past his window, wincing at the sound of another explosion.

"Should I do it?" He told Plagg.

Plagg looked back at him, and then back out the window, "Ladybug needs you. Your father isn't going to suspect that you're doing this on purpose."

He nodded, and stared at his phone, "I'm going to have to apologize to Nathalie, as well, remind me." The boy couldn't count the number of times she had lost track of him during an akuma attack and panicked exponentially by the minute.

Pressing his thumb over his father's name, Adrien put the phone to his ear and listened to the dial tone.

"Adrien."

He didn't waste time when it came to the people he loved.

Adrien loved Marinette.

Marinette was currently getting her ass handed to her by a black and yellow archer outside his apartment.

"I've been thinking about what you said to me a lot." The blonde boy spoke quickly, his fingers on his free hand gripping the window sill tightly. "How am I supposed to verify that Nathalie thinks I'm Chat Noir? How do I go up to her and ask her if she thinks me, Adrien Agreste, to be the leather-clad hero of Paris? And you know something? I—"

"Adrien, before you—" His father's cut in, slightly raised.

"Don't interrupt me!" Adrien went on, faster, raising his voice appropriately, "You're a control freak, father. I'm Chat Noir. We can't change these things about ourselves. You're going to do what you can to keep control over me, and you know what? That includes lying to me about Nathalie to keep me away from protecting my city, from protecting _my partner._ "

He took a breath, but his father hadn't said anything. Adrien didn't know this at the time, but Gabriel's head was against the steering wheel in defeat, and Nathalie fist was in her mouth.

"I'm not going to watch my partner get attacked and do nothing, father." He told him, slowly, "Nathalie can think what she wants to think, you're smart, you're manipulative, you can sway her."

 _This is painful,_ he thought, _he might kill me._

Adrien gritted his teeth, "I'm going to fight Yellow Jacket , and you're not going to stop me."

There was significant pause before he heard his father sigh in vexation.

"Adrien, I love you, so don't take this the wrong way." Gabriel replied, "You're not smooth."

"What do you mean?" Adrien laughed nervously, his hand reflexively shooting to the back of his neck in an attempt to be casual.

Gabriel didn't laugh. "You know Nathalie is in the car with me."

"What, Nathalie?"

She sighed, "Please never go into acting, with all due respect. You'd be a French William Shatner."

The line cut out. Adrien released his grip on the window, and leaned back against the wall, dropping his phone to the ground. "Alright Plagg. Time to get back in the game. You ready?"

"I'm never ready." Plagg replied sarcastically.

"Let's go. Plagg, transform me!"

* * *

That morning, Marinette had arrived to school that day with an envelope on her desk addressed to her, and the same one, a back-up, in her locker. Containing the envelopes were identical letters, written with a handwriting that could be described as flowery. At first glance, it seemed like a very friendly letter, written in gold ink.

 _Ladybug,_

 _Five o'clock. I figure if I pick the time and date, you can pick the place. I'll find you._

 _Yellow Jacket_

She took both letters, and placed them into her bag. There was no one to inform. Gabriel would be in transit, she knew, at five, heading home, so he'd see the action himself. Chat Noir wouldn't 'return to Paris' until after at least one more Yellow Jacket attack, so he wouldn't be there. Her parents, although they wanted to be kept informed, probably didn't need to know that it was a scheduled affair. Alya would get to close if she knew, as well.

That checked everyone off, which meant that Marinette could effectively ignore the letter until she actually had to fight Yellow Jacket.

So, she sat in class, trying to look joyful, hoping that if Yellow Jacket saw her (an unlikely chance, but she also didn't think that Chat Noir would be in the same class as her, either) she would look unaffected.

Glancing at her phone, she was waiting for the lunch bell. Adrien had asked her to his place for lunch, where he was attempting to make sushi. Apparently, he like home-cooked more than eating out, along with eating fish. Marinette couldn't judge his cat-like behavior, as she had begun to incorporate a lot more vegetables in her diet.

When the bell for lunch finally hit, she wished Alya and Nino a farewell as she headed towards her locker. Her behavior could be described as frantic, as she rifled through her belongings, quickly locating a bag of cookies and a Tupperware container of camembert.

Finally finding the food meant placing them into her bag surreptitiously, closing her locker, and immediately bumping into Chloe Bourgeois. The blonde was alone, standing by Marinette's locker.

She wasn't giving off a cold demeanor towards her as usual. If anything, it was a warm satisfaction for no true reason. Marinette knew that the rich girl was a fan, after all, and Ladybug's reveal had affected a lot of people differently. Chloe wasn't being her best friend, by any means, but no she wasn't deliberately trying to be cruel to her.

"What, Chloe?" Mari demanded.

Her eyebrows raised into two perfect arches. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm having dinner with Adrien on Saturday, so don't bother making plans with him."

She shook her head, brushing past the girl, faking a security that she didn't have. "That's great, Chloe. I'm going to go get lunch, now." Marinette started to walk away, feeling a pit at the bottom of her stomach.

"With Adrien?" Chloe called after her with the innocence of a devil.

Turning back, she immediately regretted the decision. Mari knew that her face showed every trace of doubt that she felt.

"It's none of your business, Chloe." She replied, whirling on her heels and heading out the door.

She slipped away into the afternoon.

The walk to Fu's studio wasn't far, and there were to cameras at least. Paparazzi believed that she spent all of her lunches nowadays in the confines of the school or at the Agreste headquarters, so they didn't catch her unless it was before or after school.

Tikki was in the inside of her jacket murmuring, "It's not that big a deal. You know that he only considers Chloe a friend."

"I know." She answered quickly, her phone to her ear in disguise, "But what if she wants to be more? He's different now. Everything that happened…he's not the same."

"He likes you."

"How do you know?" Marinette replied, "He told me that we're fine but things haven't moved beyond that."

The kwami shook her head, "I promise you, things will be fine. Adrien doesn't like Chloe that way and we both know it."

* * *

Marinette's chopsticks flew faster than Adrien's over the sushi. He made sixteen rolls, and she hoped that they'd be too busy eating to discuss Yellow Jacket.

Tikki and Plagg were off, discussing something in the other room. Adrien was asking Marinette about school. He had picked up all of the homework and assignments that he missed, and once he was caught up, he'd be returning to classes. There was something about possibly studying during patrols, making flashcards, pneumatic devices, or games.

She'd be looking forward to it, but there was something irking her at the back of her mind. The fight with Yellow Jacket and the thought of Adrien having dinner with Chloe.

"Are you alright?" He asked her quietly, sipping some water in between rolls.

Adjusting and falling back to earth, she decided that she'd bring up the letter instead of his Saturday night plans. She pulled the unopened envelope out of her purse. "I have two of these. One in my locker, one on my desk this morning."

"Do you think Fu has a letter opener?" He asked politely.

She rolled her eyes, "Just open it, Adrien."

He stood, and located a butter knife in a draw, and cut open the letter. Scanning the contents, Adrien grimaced, "Fantastic."

"It'll be fine." She told him, "I can handle her on my own."

"I didn't come back to Paris to not help you." The boy replied, twirling one of his chopsticks.

Marinette frowned, "Your identity matters, Adrien. It gives you an advantage that I wish I had again."

He paused, thinking for a moment, then told her, "It's just Nathalie, right? No one else suspects me?"

"I think so, but it's not worth the risk." She answered.

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead, "I know, but my identity will never be worth leaving you alone."

She smiled, standing up to him. Her fingers traced around his waist until her arms encircled him. He leaned his head down, kissing her softly, cautiously, as though she might stop him at any moment.

The girl welcomed this kiss, leaning back to meet his lips, and she knew she'd be a little late to her next class.

* * *

 _AN: Raise your hand if you cried during the Adrien/Marinette reunion, because I sure as hell did. I'm still crying. Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews!_


	14. Chapter 14

Gabriel and Nathalie still hadn't arrived to their location, one of the Gabriel store locations. After Adrien's phone call, there were several minutes of tense silence.

The boy she had been watching since his mother left was a superhero, she thought as her entire body remained frozen in the passenger seats, except for her fingers. Her right hand was as close to the seatbelt button, her left as close to the passenger car door, without Gabriel taking notice. What would he do to her now that she truly knew?

 _He purposely 'forgave' me for helping Adrien because I suggested that he was Chat_ , Nathalie realized in horror. _He was willing to do something so out of character to protect him._ She tried to remember what it felt like to jump out of a moving car, already convinced that Gabriel would do something to her. She'd done it half a dozen times in her youth, obviously, but she now wondered if her old body could take it.

Superheroes, she suppressed the need to roll her eyes. Nathalie had gotten used to police officers and security guards as she amassed her wealth under an MBA and glowing college transcript. The men in blue would've have sent her running in the opposite direction, had she been younger and stupid. Now they filled her with security and reassurances of her safety.

Superheroes, on the other hand, would always be a nuisance to her, she realized.

"I'm sure you have questions." He told her, breaking the ice. Reading her emotions had always been easy, despite her guarded composure.

He had been keeping track of her emotions the entire drive now. She was terrified of him, but her fear was a cocktail mixed with her own confusion and anxiety, along with her recollection of superheroes in general. Something in her flickered at the sound of his voice, and he recognized her desire to rip him apart.

She didn't fear him anymore, but he feared her and what she would do. There was a suddenly shift in their dynamic.

" _Yes, I have questions_." Nathalie replied.

 _Take control of the situation_ , he thought quickly.

 _Step One: Lie, flip Marinette and Adrien._

"I found out that my son was Chat Noir a few weeks before he went back to school." He began, convincingly.

 _Step Two: Kill two birds with one stone._

"You asked me why I acted towards Marinette differently." Gabriel went on, pulling into a parking space next to his store. They didn't step out of the car. "I thought that if I set her up to date my son, he'd be too distracted with her to fight Hawkmoth. They complimented each other perfectly, and I didn't suspect that she was Ladybug."

 _Step Three: Explain Marinette and Hawkmoth's relationship._

"I was wrong in my actions," He admitted, softly, "Marinette was immediately targeted by akuma and Hawkmoth. Maybe Hawkmoth knew his identity as well, maybe Hawkmoth knew Marinette's identity. Who could say? If I found out, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for anyone else to find out."

 _Step Four: Justify Adrien's leave from Paris._

"Marinette's kidnapping put even more stress on our relationship. If it could happen to her, it could happen to my son. I didn't want him out as Chat Noir, if Ladybug wasn't there. We had a huge argument when I found him at home skipping class. He was planning to send her away to his mother's, and he was intending to go with her."

He sighed, trying to fake a shaky breath. "I need to be sure that his secret is safe with you, Miss Sancoeur."

Nodding, she stepped out of the car, "I expect him to hand me a written apology, however."

Gabriel followed her, amused, "Oh?"

"My hair has gone gray over the amount of times I've lost track of him during attacks." Her eyes darted to the side, a secret spilled.

Noticing her immediate regret, he held up a hand, "No, it's fine. I lost track of him during an attack and it the most excruciating experience of my adult life." He admitted, lying, "I'm not going to blame you for something beyond both of our control."

 _Don't be confused_ , she thought, he's not nice. _He doesn't want to the world to know that his son wears a black leather cat suit on the regular._

They both stepped into the store, ignored the sale girls, and headed up the stairs. Although the first floor was a lofty, modern update of the antiquated building, the second floor was largely untouched, left as one of the five workshops located around the city of Paris.

Gabriel led her to his office, and shut the door. He took off his jacket, and placed it on the hook. He opened one of the drawers of the desk, and pulled out an unopened bag of croutons, and started to head for the door.

"Where are you going?" Nathalie asked.

He turned back, "Help yourself to the food in the drawers. I'm going to the other workshop across town to work on the Jagged Stone Grammy outfit."

She was incredulous, "Why didn't we just head there in the first place?" _Unless you're going somewhere and you're not telling me._

"We shouldn't stick together during the attack. We're liabilities to both Ladybug and Chat Noir." Gabriel explained, and paused for a moment, "If Adrien is going to fight Yellow Jacket, I'm going to be close by. I…" He tried his best not to sound too forced, "I'm not going to lose him."

"You can't fight her!" She stood up, but didn't move to block the exit that stood between her and Gabriel. It wasn't her place, hell, she was probably crossing several ethical lines.

"No, I can't fight her, but I can be there if he gets hurt." He shot her a smile that reminded her of him when she had first met him, a charming twenty-something dating her boss, Celine Russo. The smile conveyed that he knew something she didn't. "If you keep looking at me like you want to rip my head off, you'll get yourself possessed by one of Hawkmoth's butterflies one day."

Gabriel's hand was turning the doorknob when he collapsed to the ground.

* * *

Marinette left Adrien's apartment around four o'clock, after making him promise not to come to the fight. He was resigned as she drew him a hot bath, adding tea leaves and salts that left off a strong, aromatic scent. Kissing her goodbye, he retreated into the bathroom, closing the door. She waited to hear him step into the bath, and left.

She left via the fire escape, and hopped up onto the roof with slight difficulty. She stood atop the building, scanning those around her. It was unrealistic to think that Yellow Jacket would already be waiting for her, they both still had an hour.

Standing on the rooftop, she felt lonely, but didn't transform. Transforming could communicate that she was ready to fight. The wind whipped her hair around, and she wondered if Yellow Jacket's arrows magically ignored things like wind and gravity, or if they were like any other arrow.

"To what extent can those arrows do?" She whispered.

Tikki spoke as though she were reading out of a textbook. "Yellow Jacket is only limited by her imagination."

Several minutes passed that felt like eternity as Marinette mulled over those words.

"If I tell Gabriel about the fight," She said aloud, knowing Tikki would hear her, "It would give him a chance to get my friends involved."

"That would help our chances."

"My friends aren't going to be put at risk because of me." Mari replied, convincing herself. "Hawkmoth will come immediately when we start."

Tikki nodded, "The Agreste family really isn't known for wasting time."

Marinette laughed nervously, "What do you know about them that I don't?"

Sighing, the fairy floated up to her shoulder, "Fu let's us all out about once or twice a week when we're inactive. Back in the day, we knew about Hawkmoth and Madame Peacock, among other things."

"Did you?" She raised an eyebrow, "I can't really imagine Hawkmoth with a partner, you know. How did it work?"

The kwami tilted her head, "She has the power of attraction, people are just drawn to her, and when she used her powers it was unstoppable. It didn't affect villain's emotions toward her, it was just that they couldn't move away, and they wanted to get closer to her in order to destroy her. Hawkmoth declared a champion who would either fix everything or fight alongside him."

"Venus fly trap."

"There's a better analogy." Tikki admitted, "If Peacock was the siren luring in Odysseus, Hawkmoth was the rocks the sailors drove their ships into."

Marinette grimaced, "I bet Hawkmoth and Madame Peacock could defeat her with those kinds of powers."

Tikki shook her head, "Every miraculous has failed at least once fighting the Bee miraculous. It isn't about the miraculous, it's about the person behind it. Powers mean nothing if the user doesn't have a strong heart."

That clearly didn't satisfy the girl, and the kwami added, "the Bee and the Butterfly miraculous employ the same magic, except that Hawkmoth can only give certain powers away, whereas Yellow Jacket can write them onto an arrow and aim."

Shivering, she turned around, scanning the skyline again, except her focus switched. Instead of searching for black and yellow colors, now she simply searched for an outline of a teenage girl on a rooftop.

It was a sound theory, even if her heart was so restless that she found herself unfocused.

Whipping out her phone, she felt her knees buckle as she dialed her mother's cell phone.

"Marinette?" Her mother's voice filled her daughter's heart.

 _Rip the band-aid_. "I'm fighting Yellow Jacket at five, momma." She told her, her voice shaking.

"Are you afraid?" Sabine asked her eventually, "I believe in you and Chat."

She shut her eyes. The girl did not call her mother so that she could lie to her, and now it was slightly painful in the pit of her stomach. "I just—I wanted to let you know, in case I lose this one." Marinette felt her honest nature piercing back through her. "I never apologized for not telling you and dad as soon as I became Ladybug."

Her mother laughed, and Marinette tried to memorize the sound, the inflection, the whimsical shift in the air. "I told you that we already knew as soon as we saw you, honey."

"I know." She told her mother, "I just…mom. I should've been honest."

"Every teenage girl has secrets." Sabine assured her. "You should get ready, and devise a plan. What do you want for dinner?"

"I don't know, mom."

"About dinner or about devising a plan?" Her mother was trying to lighten the mood as best as she could. "How is this different from fighting Hawkmoth?"

The girl let out a groan, "I knew Hawkmoth's identity when I went in, okay? I had an upper hand. I don't know anything about Yellow Jacket."

That gave her mother pause, and then she quietly whispered, "You know?"

"I do." She replied, "He and I have reached a stalemate that we're not going to get out of."

She felt a brush behind her, and she turned, staring at Yellow Jacket, meeting her light blue eyes.

Marinette pressed her lips together, "Mom, I love you. I have to go. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too, Marinette. Be brave."

Hanging up, she checked the time. 4:45. She glanced at the girl, but figured that saying something rude wouldn't do. "You're early." Mari informed the girl neutrally.

Yellow Jacket dipped her head down slightly, and she caught a flash of the comb affixed to her golden hair. "You should consider yourself more than lucky, you know. You have a family that loves you very much."

Tikki sat on Mari's shoulder, "You have a family, too. As long as you have a miraculous, you have a kinship like no other with other miraculous holders."

Smirking back, Yellow Jacket's black lipstick shined under the gold lip gloss. "Did you think that would persuade me into making a hasty redemption?"

"No." Tikki admitted, "Vennum's wards are often blinded by their goals, by the tasks at hand. What are you goals beyond destroying my ward?"

Yellow Jacket shook her head, "A queen doesn't reveal her secrets that easily, kwami."

"Queen?" Marinette raised an eyebrow. "You're a hunter, not a queen."

The villain glanced down at her long, yellow jacket, "I suppose I understand why you and Hawkmoth dubbed me 'Yellow Jacket.' It's not a nice name to call someone, it lets the public know immediately that I'm a deadly force to be reckoned with. Ingenious marketing, really." There was a distinct glint in her eye, "Still, I would've liked Queen Bee."

"You can take the name when you reform yourself, how about that?" Marinette offered, jokingly. Although Tikki was on her shoulder in a friendly manner, it also meant for a quicker transformation.

Yellow Jacket checked her bow, smiling gently, "Well, Ladybug, you have 5 minutes. I suggest you make good use of your time and get as far away from me as possible. See you soon."

Marinette transformed, and she turned, standing on the ledge of the roof, before looking back at Yellow Jacket, who made no move to attack. "You're not an akuma, right? This isn't Hawkmoth's magic?"

The girl laughed, her sinister side coming through the air, "Don't be stupid. I've already been akumatized."

"Don't give me hints." Ladybug warned her, "I figured out Hawkmoth, I'll figure out you. And when I figure you out, the whole world will know before you can achieve you goal."

She took her yo-yo off her hip, and let loose. It wasn't until Yellow Jacket finally attacked her when she realized her near fatal mistake.

 _I never asked her what she wanted, or why she was doing this. Tikki had asked, and I've brushed her off until this point._

When Ladybug dodged the first arrow, it disappeared in a puff of smoke past her, and every other arrow that flew past her in the following five seconds, soon surrounding her in yellow smoke. Her eyes were tearing up as she took a leap of faith off the building. She couldn't see, so she couldn't really land anywhere.

Passing through the smoke, realized that she was landing in the smack middle of an intersection. She flung her yo-yo to the hanging traffic lights. When the tension was taught, she swung up, landing on top of the pipe as another golden arrow struck the middle of the intersection. It exploded, sending her upwards into the sky, and then as quickly sending her into a rapid free fall.

She spun the yo-yo in front of her, using it as a shield as another arrow spun towards her. There was nothing to catch her fall, and nothing to brace the impact of the street. At least her suit would protect her from most of the damage.

Bending her knees, she landed, creating a sizeable crater in the cement. Her hand grasped the arrow, and broke it in half as she closed her fist around it.

She glanced at Gabriel Agreste's car, which had spun and turned around during the explosion, and had just been driving away. He would be there soon, once he shook Nathalie off of him.

Her eyes focused up to Yellow Jacket. Marinette wished she could fly. Using her yo-yo to rappel upwards to a roof meant giving up her yo-yo as a formidable shield. Flying in the air via yo-yo meant being unable to dodge arrows effectively. Landing on a roof meant that building beneath her feet could be destroyed, and she wouldn't be able to find that arrow.

Yellow Jacket consistently kept her grounded, which was probably to most frustrating aspect of the entire situation.

What's worse was that Yellow Jacket was sticking to the roofs, and Ladybug could only catch her flitting between buildings. She was incredibly fast, faster than Chat and her combined. However, Yellow Jacket was slowing down.

 _She's not used to fighting_ , Ladybug realized, _she doesn't have my athleticism, my endurance, or my strength._

The arrows were more infrequent, and she considered using Lucky Charm, but realized that activating her spell would cause her to let her guard down for a few seconds that she couldn't spare. Still, Ladybug decided that it would be best to wait, Yellow Jacket would slow down.

She dialed Chat's baton without even looking. The villain was too far away to hear her.

"My lady, I'll be there in a second!" He sounded urgent.

 _I knew you would come,_ she thought, _what price did you pay?_ "Don't. Yellow Jacket is slowing down, and if she sees Hawkmoth or you, she might revitalize. I'm going to wait this out."

He growled, "I need to be there for you."

Marinette rolled, dodging an arrow, and glimpsed at his face, his lovely determination shined through. "We need to win. If she runs off again, we'll start the whole process over."

"You don't have an offensive team."

"No, I don't." She agreed.

"I haven't seen Hawkmoth yet." He told her, "I'm hiding in an alcove by the intersection."

She nodded, "I have to keep fighting, Chat. I have to go."

"Wait." His voice was strained, "I don't want to waste your time—"

Marinette glanced to his face, soft and pained, she looked away, her eyes on Yellow Jacket, "You're never a waste of my time."

"I love you." Chat Noir told.

There was no hesitation from her, despite her melting heart. "I love you too, Adrien."

"Good luck, Mari." He told her, grinning from ear to ear despite the situation at hand.

She smirked back, "I'm nothing but luck."

Hanging up, she looked up at Yellow Jacket, hovering twenty feet in front of her. Ladybug smirked, this was the closest the villain had gotten to the ground.

Piece of cake, Ladybug though.

The girl spun, and threw her yo-yo so that it would extend, whip, and wrap around Yellow Jacket. Several things went wrong after this point.

Yellow Jacket dropped down, a foot off the ground, and Ladybug pulled the yo-yo back to her, but the string could only go so quickly. The black and yellow villain flew towards her, holding an arrow and her bow, and Marinette dodged, missing the stampede by a hairsbreadth.

She whipped around Marinette in a second, ignoring her practically. She was lightning, so fast, even, Marinette didn't realize that she had been cut by an arrow until Yellow Jacket whipped around her again, facing her as she froze. She spun the arrow around in her fingers methodically, like a baton, almost.

Marinette began to fade away as Chat Noir landed beside. She couldn't hear what he was shouting, she couldn't feel his hand on her, or the wind that blew Yellow Jacket's hair around wildly.

In fact, Marinette couldn't feel anything.

Tikki clutched her as they slipped into a void of endless colors and sounds. She shut her eyes tight, bracing for whatever impact was to come.

* * *

The first thing Nathelie did was check her watch. 5:38 PM. The next thing she did was go to Gabriel and check his jugular while dialing for an ambulance. He was still breathing, so she started to speak to him non-stop until a dispatcher answered her phone.

* * *

"What did you do?" He shouted at her, pained. His hand was on her, but he was beginning to phase through her, as though she were a ghost, standing in an unbalanced position, like she had when she tried to dodge Yellow Jacket.

The girl frowned at him, unamused, but neither made a move to strike. His anger was clear, but he was controlling himself, staying with Ladybug as she faded out slowly. Letting herself glance around was a risk, but the amount of civilians who had their phones trained on her was intoxicating.

 _I did it._ She realized. _I took down Ladybug._

It left her feeling accomplished. Chloe hadn't done much for herself in her life except showering, doing her makeup, getting her outfits together, and feeding Vennum. This was a rush of feelings. She was tempted to text Sabrina and tell her that she would be doing her own homework from now on.

She smiled. Yellow Jacket may as well have had fangs. Leaping off the ground, she flew up and away. Chat Noir didn't follow, instead, he stood in the middle of an intersection, watching his Lady disappear, leaving several drops of sparkling blood behind her.

When she landed on her balcony, she de-transformed, slid open the door, and slipped inside. Her fingers still clutched the one arrow that had not broken during the fight.

Chloe would protect the arrow that sealed Marinette's fate with her life.

* * *

Turning back into Adrien Agreste meant two things for the boy. He broke down into sobs on the bed, and Plagg needed help opening a package of cheese.

Adrien was numb. Wasn't he used to death at this point? Despite everything in his heart breaking, he found that without Marinette, there was simply no heart left anyway. It hurt, but it was a physical pain. His thighs burned with every step, his feet were heavy and his neck had a significant creak in it.

He wasn't thinking either, at one point he was in the bathroom plucking his eyebrows, another point involved collecting Fu's mail, even another involved watering plants. There was no middle ground between these events. Adrien just had quick moments of realization before slipping back into complete blankness.

His kwami noticed immediately, "Hey, don't be such a sourpuss." After not getting a response, he head-butted the boy in his cheek. "You need to push through this."

Turning towards his black cat companion he replied coolly, "Isn't it magic that's making me feel this way?"

Plagg whirled away, but Adrien grabbed him by the tail, holding him in place. "I can't say." Plagg told him, "I—I have very few rules to follow. I can't kill humans, I can't reveal identities of other miraculous users, I can't mention certain events in history, and I'm…not allowed to discuss magic with my wards. If I break the rules, they'll find me another Chat Noir and erase your memories."

The blonde mulled on this for a moment, "Erase my memories? Isn't that a little silly considering that I'm an Agreste?"

The kwami smiled, mainly because he was a lover of loopholes. "it's happened before."

Adrien was organized. Part of his organizational habits included setting a different ringtone for the people who most often called his phone number.

His father's assistant's ringtone was the sound of a ticking time bomb, counting down the number of seconds until she would be annoyed at him for not answering his phone.

Nathalie Sancouer would be the death of him, he realized.

Inhaling, he pulled himself together.

"Your father's in the emergency room. Drive yourself over here." She stated, though if Adrien were pressed to remember what she had said after that, he wouldn't be able to.

He remembered the distinct lack of people walking around Paris. Later, he realized that Ladybug's disappearance broke almost immediately, and citizens were hiding.

In the next moment, he was standing in the hallway of a hospital, and everything was familiar. He stared up at Nathalie.

"We haven't been here since my mom's accident." He remarked, looking around, realizing they were in an elevator. Adrien looked down, and realized that he was clutching the journal she had forced him to take. He was flooded with the smell of hospital. "What happened?" His voice betrayed panic.

Nathalie grimaced, "I already told you." She looked like she was about to launch into her patent-pending you-need-to-pay-attention-whenever-I'm-talking speech, but stopped herself.

Maybe she didn't know about Ladybug, maybe it was too difficult for her to say.

She swallowed hard, "I told the doctors that we were arguing about you when he was going to leave, and he just…collapsed."

"Collapsed." Adrien stated.

"A dead drop." Nathalie confirmed, "I—I'm not sure what happened."

The elevator dinged, and they stepped onto the floor. Adrien forced himself through the door, after all, it was his father he was going to face.

Her hand was on his shoulder, and he looked up to her, "What?"

"Thank you for coming." She blinked, "I heard about Ladybug, and I'm sorry."

He brushed her away, and tried to shoot her a model-like grin. It didn't reach his eyes, "The world doesn't know that I am who I am. It's business-as-usual. Which way?"

Nathalie led him down a series of hallways and he followed.

"It's very big of you to come, though." She told him assuredly.

They stepped into Gabriel's hospital room, and he looked up immediately, relief washing over him. He composed himself, breathing hard, "The notebook, Adrien."

He looked down at the leatherbound book that he held, and strode over to his father numbly, and handed it to him. "What happened?"

Nathalie twittered behind him, "We're waiting for MRI results."

Gabriel rolled his eyes, and turned to Adrien, "Call your mother, and see if she's alright."

The boy nodded, mechanically pulling out his phone, he stared at the text that appeared on his screen.

 _Mamam: I'm fine mon petit chaton! Make sure your dad's okay!_

"She texted me. She's fine." He replied quietly, glancing up to his father, who looked disheveled as he had ever seen him.

His hair was in a disarray, and without the perfectly tailored suit to complement him, he looked sallow, sinewy, and old. Gabriel, in turn, was studying his son intently, and Adrien felt his father probing through his head, sifting quickly through his emotions.

When his father realized that Adrien knew what he was doing, he stopped, looking away as the doctor entered.

The woman brushed away a strand of red hair as Nathalie and Adrien took seats by the window. "I'm here to answer a few questions. Is it alright if these two are in here?"

Gabriel shot her a kind, forgiving smile, "Of course. Feel free."

Nathalie and Adrien exchanged a glance. They both knew that the platinum-blond CEO would not like to answer medical questions. His smile was sinister, but to the untrained eye, it looked rather accommodating.

"Alright." She stared at her clipboard, grimacing, "How many hours of sleep do you get, on average."

"Five."

"Any medical history pertaining to nerve diseases, brain—"

"My mother had stomach cancer, my biological father died in World War II." He replied, cutting her off. "With all do respect, I think it's the lack of sleep that caused my collapse."

The doctor exhaled, "Your MRI and vitals didn't indicate a loss of sleep or exhaustion, Monsieur Agreste. Moving on—Have you changed your diet or exercise routine recently?"

"No." He replied, tersely. "I exercise for two hours every day, and have a nutritionist."

"Do you smoke?"

"No."

"Drugs or alcohol?"

Gabriel chuckled, "I'll have a glass of wine at dinner, or a glass of brandy, depending on the day. Nothing excessive."

"So no drugs, then, either?"

He was trying too hard to be charming, Adrien realized.

"No drugs." He replied, "Wouldn't you have found that in my system?"

She shook her head, "We didn't run those tests. Your MRI hasn't shown anything wrong, your bloodwork didn't indicate a high white-blood cell count. You seem like you're in perfect health for someone your age."

"Funny. I told you the same thing twenty minutes ago."

The doctor smirked back at him, "Of course, I'm going to release you. However, I do have some expectations. No working, or driving, for at least two weeks. Get eight to nine hours of sleep a night. Increase your sugar intake, because your blood sugar looks a little on the low side." She signed something on her clipboard. "You're good to go."

Gabriel sighed, and looked to his assistant and his son, "I'll meet you both outside."

Nathalie and Adrien stood outside the hospital room, and she noticeably relaxed. "You might've put him in a better mood."

He nodded, glancing at the Ladyblog on his phone. The website was down 'due to maintenance'. He switched over to his Chat Noir e-mail.

It's important to note that Adrien was very, very protective of his Chat e-mail. There were only a few people who had access to it, as it required a two-step authorization process just to send him an e-mail that didn't go straight to the spam section. Alya had access, Ladybug had access, the mayor (who lost access to Ladybug's e-mail due to Chloe Bourgeouis), and the chief of police.

Alya had sent him an e-mail, apparently, she didn't want to release anything until she heard from him what happened.

Adrien didn't know what happened, really.

In the next instant, he was in the backseat of his father's car. The boy looked around wildly, and turned to his left, seeing his father. "Where are we going?"

"Home." He replied plainly.

Looking up into the rearview mirror, he saw Nathalie's eye meet his for a minute, flashing concern. "That's fine." The son answered, "Clearly you're not well."

Gabriel leaned back slightly, resigning himself. "I'm perfectly fine. I'm going to need you to take care of the company in my absence, however."

"I'm not doing that." Adrien informed him flatly, "I'm not qualified."

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "No, you're not, but if an event occurred that would cause me to be unable to complete my duties as CEO, you have my signing power. All you have to do is approve everyone else's plans and sit in on a few meetings. There's going to be a couple shoots as well, which I expect you to directly be in charge of."

When they arrived at the mansion and stepped into the foyer, the boy was pulled back into reality. Another gap of time passed, the boy realized.

Adrien stared at him, "What makes you think that I would want to keep working for you?"

His father's expression darkened, "It's my expectation that while you're in Paris, you'll at least keep up appearances."

"And if I don't?" He challenged, without stopping himself.

"My office. Now." Gabriel stiffened, and turned towards Nathalie, forcing out the words, "I apologize for keeping you so late. Your dedication, as usual, is commendable. Have a lovely evening."

When she left, his hand was on his son's back, as he led the boy into his office, and closed the door behind them.

In the next moment, his father had slammed him into the wall, his right forearm against the boy's chest, and the other hand was ripping his miraculous off of his finger.

"Don't take this the wrong way." Gabriel told him pointedly.

* * *

 _AN: So, we're finally at the plot point that I've been wanting to write since I started._ _Well, in the next chapter, we'll be at the plot point._

 _Take a guess in the reviews! I've lead up to it pretty well, if I do say so myself, in the past couple chapters. If you're right, I'll send you a sample of the next chapter before it comes out, yeah?_

 __ _I think that'd be fun._


	15. Chapter 15

Adrien balled his fists, ready to fight his father, who held the miraculous ring. Plagg floated between them. And then everything hit him like a ton of bricks.

 _Ladybug,_ he realized, _she's gone._ Every emotion that he had been suppressing for the past several hours flooded back to him. His breath hitched, and he collapsed into his father's arm. The girl he had fallen in love with once in an immediate flame that burned bright, and another time in such a way that was only comparable to flowers blooming in Spring.

The girl who sat behind him in class, the girl who without apology stood up against Gabriel Agreste, the girl who had outwitted his father in a game the man had created. The girl who kept on every day for the past month, despite having to face the press, akumas, and her friends and family as Ladybug. She stood as a beacon of hope in a life where she must of felt incredibly hopeless, without him, her secret, or her safety.

"She's gone." He sobbed into his father's coat. "I—I failed. I couldn't save her—"

Gabriel had one arm around his son, and the other on his head, stroking his hair assuredly. "Marinette is fine, Adrien."

He protested immediately, "No. You weren't there!" he pulled away, staring at his father through the tears that wouldn't stop flowing.

The man smiled slightly, "Didn't you recognize that magic? It happened to you, too." Gabriel pulled back, because human interaction with him only went so far. The notebook was passed back to his son. "Take a look."

Adrien pulled back the string, and flipped open the journal. He was bombarded with his father's sketches and handwriting. All of it was about his partner, notes about the day, quotes, sketches of her modelling clothing. He looked up, "How did Mom get this? When did you start journaling about her?"

Gabriel frowned, "Think a little harder, Adrien. There's going to be a time when I won't be around to explain everything to you."

Plagg landed on the notebook, "Look at the dates, genius."

His eyes widened, and he flipped through more pages, "Like Timebreaker?"

"Timebreaker." Gabriel confirmed. "She's alright. In the past, Marinette didn't know that Chat Noir—you—were okay after she left." His voice softened, hitching slightly, "When I collapsed, I spent a good amount of time worrying about you."

Leaning back against the door of the office, he wiped his face off on his sleeve, or rather, his father's jacket that he was wearing. "Did you know about this the entire time?"

"Memory spell." He replied, tapping his temple, "Fu cast it on me after she left, and blocked my memories until the precise moment that she went back in time."

"Then how did…how did Mom know to give me the notebook?"

The man pressed his lips together. "Fu was supposed to cast the spell on her, but I don't know if he did. Maybe Celine found my notebook, which I had hidden in the mansion, and her memories came back. I can't say for certain." Gabriel took pause, "I can't help but wonder if Celine and Fu knew all along that I would misuse my miraculous."

Adrien sighed, "Do you know when she'll be back?"

"No." Gabriel replied.

"Can I have my miraculous back now? She took her earrings with her. You're not succeeding, today." The boy swallowed, feeling his throat instantly tighten at the awkward question.

Plagg shifted, "No."

"There isn't an active Ladybug miraculous." Gabriel told him, "Didn't you notice as soon as you left? You were out of it, you were monotonous. I'm certain that for a majority of the time, you weren't aware of your surroundings." His father handed back the ring. "No one willingly gives up a miraculous, and that's part of the magic, but without Ladybug to balance out the darkness, it will consume you. That's why I took it off."

The cat kwami landed in Adrien's hand, "Do not put on the ring unless you have to transform."

Gabriel nodded, "And don't transform unless I'm there to keep your behavior in check."

Adrien glared at him, "This wouldn't have happened if you had kept Marinette's secret, you know."

He shrugged, impassive. "I can't do anything about it now."

"You could go back in time!" He protested, "You could go back in time, stop yourself from _at least_ revealing Marinette's identity."

The man turned, and headed towards his desk, sounding irritated, "No, I couldn't. I can't go back in time. I can't travel through people's cellphones. I can't create thunderstorms. I only give those powers. I declare champions, Adrien. I don't know what's more frustrating, the fact that I have had this conversation with your mother a dozen times, or that you're squandering your intelligence." He sat at the desk. "You can leave the notebook on the coffee table. Dinner is at eight." Gabriel dismissed him.

The boy looked at him, his face red with anger, "That's all you have to say to me?"

"I think the cook is making something artisanal and vegan. I'm not quite sure." Gabriel stated, his eyebrows quirked curiously.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" Adrien murmured, his fingers clutching the ring.

Gabriel leaned back, "For?"

"I don't know—being Hawkmoth? Being a terrible father, driving Mom away?" He was incredulous.

Gabriel stood, and exhaled, clearly frustrated, "You left, Adrien. You want to be treated fairly, and you want to have an open discussion about my secret identity. You have to understand that you don't get to leave, and then come back and demand answers."

"Did you expect me to stay?" He retorted, "Did you expect that I'd just come home, and then have breakfast the next day, go to school, go to a basketball practice, and just pretend like nothing happened?"

He blanched slightly. After all, Adrien was acting _just_ like his mother. Gabriel replied, "Of course not…Well—actually, yes. Marinette and I had to do exactly that. We had to maintain our normal lives. Do you know how difficult that's been?"

"I…"

"No, that's right, you don't. Your partner and I were forced to spend a lot of time pretending like we didn't hate each other, and we barely succeeded." Gabriel went on pointedly, "I didn't expect you to pretend like nothing happened, but I at least expected you to pretend to be Adrien Agreste, and protect your identity."

"I don't care if the world knows that I'm Chat Noir." He replied coldly, glancing up to the portrait of his mom. "In an ideal world, I could always act like that."

He chuckled, "You I didn't feel the exact same way when I was your age, Adrien? I hate to break it to you—"

The man stopped himself.

"What?" Adrien scowled.

"I don't hate to break this to you." He told his son, amusement painting his face, "I worked very hard when I was a teenager. My mother lived in the United States, where my step-father worked at NASA. I was expected to attend every social event in town, and there was no one to defend my actions or cut me slack, let alone protect me from those who intended to take advantage of me."

Gabriel stood, "You are fortunate to have two parents who are present in your life, Adrien. Your mother may not be here, but I know that if I ran away to find my mother, she would've sent me home. My step-father ignored me completely."

"That doesn't change how I feel." Adrien replied, crossing his arms, "I wouldn't care if the world knew I was Chat Noir."

Plagg head-butted the boy, "You have an advantage with your identity, kid. You can't just throw it all away."

"Your kwami is right." He told him, "Yellow Jacket could easily target you if you give yourself away."

Adrien frowned, but eventually nodded. "We're going to take her down, aren't we?"

"We have to find the arrow and break it to undo the magic and bring Marinette back to the present." He told him, "You can't be trusted to be run free with the Black Cat miraculous, so we'll be spending time together under our superhero identities. Patrols, fights, and everything in between." Gabriel pulled out a bowl of croutons, and Nooroo emerged from his sleeve, munching happily. "You'll have to release a statement, let the public know that—"

His eyes widened, and he whirled to the boy, "Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng need to be informed that their daughter is alive and well."

"Oh god—" Adrien's hands were raking through his long hair.

"Go!" Gabriel shouted at the boy, who was running out the door. How could he had been so idiotic? The man was worried sick about his own son being safe, and he begged Nathalie to call him while in the ambulance. Than he started having a panic attack over Adrien until he was sedated.

* * *

Nathalie entered her apartment, and immediately went to her desktop. Her thumb pressed onto the fingerprint scanner, and she entered her password. It only took a couple seconds to log into the Agreste servors, which connected, by extension, to the Agreste mansion. Gabriel's files were easy to access as well (His password was ASTOR, which would've been Adrien's name, if Celine hadn't insisted on Adrien being, well, Adrien).

All she had to do, was find proof that Gabriel discovered his son's identity.

There were a lot of events that had to align for Nathalie to be looking for evidence.

First, Gabriel went to the hospital instead of taking her home, where she would've originally taken a bath to unwind from the day and went to bed. She wouldn't have heard the radio announce Marinette's alleged time of death.

5:38 PM.

 _That's not a coincidence._ She felt it in the bottom of her gut.

Gabriel Agreste hid his private files in archived folders that dated back to the 2000s. Her mouse scrolled past family pictures of the Agreste family until she found a lone folder, innocently named 'Adrien fencing tournament—2006.'

She glanced away, and sighed. Whenever she broke rules while working for Gabriel, she reminded herself that this man ruined her corporate ambitions within the company by reducing her to a babysitter. Babysitting that boy, _Chat Noir, apparently,_ had put her entire life on hold. She had no romantic partner to speak of, only a handful of friends.

There was a knock on her office door. "Come in." She stood, minimizing her windows.

Nathaneal peaked though, her orphaned nephew who she was now in charge of. Luckily, he was self-sustaining. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She told softly. "There were some…difficulties at work. I—I'm sorry about your classmate, Nath. She was a truly a wonderful, bright girl."

Nathalie politely ignored the fact that her nephew had a crush on the girl.

The boy pushed away a lock of red hair. "Apparently, Chat Noir is making a statement soon on the Ladyblog."

She flinched back, "Marinette was quiet lucky to have so many people who loved her deeply."

" _Is._ " The boy corrected her, "My class's group-chat—"

"Group-chat?" The woman stared at him, apparently the anti-social boy _had_ been making efforts, as she had requested.

"It's like a text message—"

 _It is important to note that Nathalie Sancouer knows exactly what a group-chat is, and was considering telling her nephew so, but he talked so little to begin with. When Nathaneal spoke, Nathalie made a point to listen, encourage, and ask questions._

Gabriel Agreste could learn a thing or two from her about taking care of children.

"—between a bunch of different people at once." The boy went on, "Anyway, we're all under agreement that the magic Yellow Jacket used looks a lot like an over-powered akuma. We think—it doesn't mean anything yet, you know? Akumas make people disappear out of thin air all the time. Alya hasn't said anything, other than to check the Ladyblog."

She glanced away, "I'm sure Chat Noir would say something, wouldn't he?"

"Yeah. He was spotted heading into the Dupain-Cheng household. He hasn't left." He told her. "I made dinner. I know you're busy, but if you want some, it's pasta."

* * *

Chat explained everything to the inconsolable Dupain-Cheng's. It wasn't easy. It wasn't easy trying to justify his departure to a very hot-headed Tom, while Sabine tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault.

 _Hi, it's me, Chat Noir, your daughter's partner, who failed to ultimately protect her from the most dangerous villain in all of Paris._

He was blinking back tears as he rapped on Alya's window. Nino and Alya were located in her room, with the door shut and barricaded against many siblings. They looked up at him, accusingly.

"She's alive." He told them, scratching his black ear. "Travelled back in time." Chat's hand was on the journalist's shoulder, and his claws pressed into her gently, trying to cause a reaction.

Nino slapped his hand away, and Chat took a step back towards the window, "Why didn't you protect her?"

Alya looked down her arms were crossed, her legs were bent to her chest. "You shouldn't have left."

"I know." He murmured, "There was a lot that happened that night that I wasn't strong enough to face. You should release a statement, but tell them all that she's fine. Don't mention time travel. I—I can't say when or where she is, as it could potentially reveal identities."

The girl took off her glasses, "You're going to tell me where my best friend is."

Chat Noir smiled slightly, "Nino's standing right there, Alya Césaire. You're being pawsitively rude."

The girl stood up, her finger jabbing into the boy's sternum. "Tell. Me. I will destroy you."

"Dude." Nino butted in, "She really will."

The boy swallowed hard, forcing back every ounce of darkness within him. "Alya. Identities are at risk. I can't tell you where or when she is."

He didn't mention that he told Mari's parents where and when she was.

"Release a statement." He told them, "Please—don't mention time travel, just that she's safe and unharmed, and she's going to return here soon."

Adrien could feel himself growing colder and colder by the minute, sinking back into the dark emotions that had taken root in him.

"Are you alright?" Nino asked. Alya couldn't be bothered as she begun to type rapidly into her computer.

Chat Noir coughed and turned, flashing the boy an unconvincing grin. "I—I'm actually okay, Nino. Thank you for the concern."

"Are you…" Nino looked away, his face flush with worry, "Are you going to tell Adrien about Mari?"

He jolted back his eyes darkened slightly, "Is he back in town?"

"You didn't know?" Alya called over her shoulder. "It was on the news. He has this…Brad Pitt in _World War Z_ vibe going for him now."

He laughed, nervously, "Sorry, I don't really pay attention to vapid models."

The girl spun in her chair, "That's funny. Didn't Hawkmoth say the exact same thing to Adrien Agreste during the Madame Academy fight?"

Pausing, he turned back to her, "I saw the video, it was a good insult, after all."

"Adrien isn't vapid." Nino told him.

"I know." Chat Noir replied, "Marinette loves that boy, so I highly doubt he's vapid. There's strong evidence to suggest that he's _at least_ a former model, though." He opened the window back up, grimacing as it squeaked, and he groaned, "I suppose I'll tell him, but I'm not going to enjoy it."

Alya rolled her eyes, "Do you dislike him as a person, or dislike him because Marinette loves him?"

"I think Adrien Agreste is far too involved in superheroes, to the point where is life could be in danger." Chat Noir replied, "That goes for the two of you, as well. Also, release that I do not condone _anyone_ working for Hawkmoth as his champion, under no circumstances _whatsoever._ "

She nodded. "I'll e-mail you a draft before I post."

"Good." He answered, leaping out the door and through the roofs of Paris. Adrien landed on the fire escape outside of Fu's apartment, and immediately hopped into Celine's old bedroom.

Gabriel stood, going through several of the boxes., he was pulling out photographs when he turned to the boy. "I didn't realize you'd come here. I thought you'd head for the mansion."

Adrien took off his ring, and let himself smile, "All of my stuff is here. What are you looking at?" He was de-transformed, and he was already handing Plagg a block of camembert twice the kwami's size.

He held up a frame, the picture inside from his wedding. Celine looked like she was glowing, and he was stuck on her, caught in the glow they had once had. "Photographs."

Swallowing hard, he let him glance at the pictures his father pulled out. "You should call her." He suggested, his voice empty, "She lives alone."

"She hasn't met anyone?"

"I don't think so." Adrien replied, "I asked, but she doesn't…I think her miraculous causes more harm for her than it does good."

"Sometimes that's how it goes." He answered.

The boy looked away.

 _Not every wielder is a perfect fit…_ Marinette's voice echoed through his mind. "We should find Yellow Jacket as quickly as possible."

"We don't have to find her. We have to find the arrow." He told him. "I don't know what Yellow Jacket's endgame is. If this was her ultimate goal, we should take comfort in knowing that I have a distinct memory of Marinette suddenly disappearing, and Fu telling me that she was back in her own time."

* * *

Marinette slipped onto the pavement in the same intersection, and she quickly jumped up, dodging several cars that were honking their horns. It was later in the evening, and if she had to guess, she would say past midnight. "What happened?"

Her heart wouldn't stop pounding.

Tikki glanced up at her. "I—I can't say. There are rules. I'm sorry."

She nodded sharply, and headed down the street, intending to head home, towards the bakery. If Tikki couldn't say anything about what happened, the girl could at least tell her parents that she was okay. Marinette sighed, and smoothed down the edges of her dirt-ridden skirt. The Guerilla collection was growing more and more vexing as the weeks went on. She brought her hand up, hitching the hobo-style purse in the crook of her arm as she wrapped her hands around herself. It was warm, earlier that day day, and now it was simply freezing.

A woman with fire-engine red approached her from the side, startling her slightly, and whispering, "There's a couple guys who've been following you for the past few blocks. There's a short cut we can take to shake them off us."

Marinette stared at her. She looked to be a few years older than her, with bright dyed hair that contrasted her blue diamond eyes. The pig-tailed girl looked over her shoulder, there _were_ definitely three brutish, buff guys following the two of them. "Alright. I'll follow you, okay?"

The woman nodded, and took her by the hand, leading her into an alleyway. It was a few blocks before Fu's studio.

"This way." She told the girl. "We can cut to the next street over and get to the train station."

When they were halfway between the sidewalk and the main stretch of the alley, three more beefy guys emerged, and Marinette whirled back, noticing that the three men who were following them quickly caught up, and now she was surrounding in the alley way.

The woman had a sinister smile across her face, and it dawned on the teen that it was a trap. "That was clever." She told her, coolly. "So, what do you want?"

"Empty your wallet." The redhead replied, "I don't want my boys to have to play rough with you."

"You don't know who I am." She realized.

Her lips pursed, and it felt slightly familiar, when the woman replied, "No, I don't, come on. Cash, credit cards, blank checks. Let's go."

She felt a rush of wind drop down from above, and Hawkmoth was suddenly upon them, in a very square, royal purple suit, with lavender trimmings. He smirked, watching the six men go. He turned back to the redhead. "Nathalie Sancouer, I thought I told you that if I caught you again, I'd take you to the police."

 _Nathalie? This redheaded girl, who's showing off more skin than a snake?_

The girl smirked, and looked the hero up and down. Marinette could see the flush falling over his face. "Something tells me you're not going to do anything, Hawkmoth."

The man took a slight step backwards, and his head ducked down slightly, "I could easily do something, you know."

Her eyes flashed up to his, meeting his gaze with a sensual ferocity that Marinette wasn't aware that Nathalie possessed. "You need to work on your phrasing a bit better," She teased, "You'll give girls ideas."

 _Do not throw up,_ Mari thought, trying to make herself as small as possible.

Hawkmoth shot her a toothy grin, "How about a compromise? Stay in classes, get a cushy desk job, I don't report you for all the crimes I've caught you committing."

"You know I'm taking classes?" She laughed, airily brushing by him, heading into the alley, back into the night, "Hawkmoth, renowned superhero, and stalker. I wasn't aware that I was your rebound, sir."

"No, no." The man held out his hands, "You're literally a criminal, I'm doing my job."

Her fingers ran over his lapels, "Jobs have perks."

Hawkmoth pushed her away, gently, "Yes. Her name is Madame Peacock."

"Keep telling yourself that, loverboy." Nathalie waved, and she was gone.

 _This is too weird._ She thought, trying to brush away to, figure this out. _Alternate universe?_

Marinette began to walk away, towards the sidewalk. Adrien was probably at the apartment, or the mansion. Her parents were probably worried sick. There were many places she could go.

His hand was on her shoulder, effectively freezing her in her place. "Wait."

He looked at her, studying her face. She stared back up towards him. His hair was a slightly darker shade of platinum blonde, and his mask covered his eyes, the bridge and down his knows, as well as his eyebrows. She couldn't discern his age.

Gabriel Agreste had no idea who she was. He looked at her like it was the first time, except that his face was painted with concern. The entire look reminded her of a superhero, after all. He looked regal and pristine, but light, as though very little weighed him down in life.

"I'm sorry, I was just headed home." She pointed towards the sidewalk as she backed into the brick wall. "I can handle myself, really."

"You are far too young to be out this late." His hand was on his purse, and he opened it without a second glance, pulling out the wallet. Glancing up at her, he twitched slightly. "It's almost four in the morning, you know. Your parents must be worried sick about you."

 _Was I really out of it that long? And damn, this is the first time he's ever sounded like a responsible parent._ She sucked in a breath, "I—I guess I'm not really sure where the time went."

He was staring at her school ID. He looked back at her and then at the plastic card. His voice was accusing."Why does this say that you were born in 2001?"

Her eyes widened, "Wait."

Hawkmoth stared at her pointedly, "You have a fake ID."

"What year is it?"

Rolling his eyes, he placed the card back in the wallet. He handed the purse back to her, and looked completely done with her. "Clearly, you have a fake ID. You're not fooling me."

"A—Answer my question! The date!" She pleaded, as he began to head in the direction that Nathalie had traveled.

"November 5th, 1994." He called back to her.

 _Oh._

She took a step towards him, pushing herself off the brick wall. "Wait! I can prove that I got sent back in time."

"You can't." He turned back to her, amused. "There's nothing you could say that could convince me."

Marinette looked away, and swallowed, "I know your secret identity."

He returned in front of her in a second, and his hand pressed against the wall by her face. She was cornered against the cold brick. Yes, he was a superhero, but he was menacing, certainly. "Let me be clear. This joke has run its course. Go home."

"Gabriel Agreste."

Hawkmoth looked befuddled, "Who?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she relaxed., "You're Gabriel Agreste. I'm from the future. If you don't believe me, look at my outfit, at least. I also have copies of receipts in my wallet, you can check those dates."

The man frowned, but removed his hand from her. He glanced at his glove, and at her shoulder. The sleeve of the sweater was getting stained a maroon color. "Your injured, and clearly in shock. Let me take you to a hospital."

She looked at her arm, spotting the gash on her shoulder. "I can't go to a hospital. Let's head back to the mansion. We'll talk about it there."

"I'm not this Gabriel Agreste fellow." He told her firmly.

Marinette took the chance to roll her eyes, and press her palm to her cheek. "Fine. _Fine._ But the Agreste mansion will have a plethora of first-aid supplies that I can use."

Exhaling, he nodded. "Alright. But after that we're going to Fu's."

"In the morning." She amended.

Gabriel scooped her up in his arms, and he looked completely uncomfortable as he flew upwards. "I don't normally do this, please excuse me."

She looked down, over the city. Marinette tried to ignore the blonde man who's neck she was currently holding onto, in his twenties. He wasn't incredibly handsome, and she wasn't attracted to him. He had very harsh features that cut cut diamond.

The mansion looked…considerably different. Instead of huge walls, there was a row of hedges around the perimeter that blended around a black iron fence that went up to the waist. The exterior was a gray-stone brick, a slightly dated look leftover from the early 1900s with a mansard roof and chimneys. It wasn't unfashionable, but it was certainly vintages.

He landed by one of the windows, and made tried several windows, which were all locked. "We can't even get in, Ms. Dupain-Cheng."

Marinette smiled, "Then I could always ring the doorbell. And then Gabriel could just answer the door., unless you want to admit that I know what I'm talking about."

Hawkmoth pressed his lips together, "You could."

She rocked on her heels, "How about this? You get one free question about the future. I'll answer anything. Ask me something so that I can prove that I'm from the future."

Staring at her, he leaned against the wall, looking out. Gabriel let out a huff, "Fine."

"Not fine." A woman's voice called up to them, before landing gracefully on the manicured lawn.

The teenager took in the sight of Madame Peacock. She was definitely a peacock, and Marinette only wanted to get closer. It wasn't a strong pull, but it was enough for her to take notice.

The woman had sweeping blonde hair that fell back in slick waves and curl, intermingled with blue and green wispy feathers. Her suit glittered, a monochromatic piece from shades of golden-brown to emerald to sapphire. She had dark green gloves, and a peacock-feathered cape that glided off her shoulders. Her mask, an assortment of feathers, fitted perfectly over her eyes, the same color as Adrien's.

Marinette was blushing. This was Adrien's mother.

"I've heard enough." Madame Peacock told them sternly. She pointed to the girl, "You're from the future, you don't get to tell us about it." She whirled to the man in front of her. "And you."

She snuck a look to him, he wasn't meeting her gaze, and shifted uncomfortable under his partner's gaze. He straightened up more (if that was even possible, his posture was impeccable even in his youth) and looked at her, "You actually think she's from the future?"

"We're going to get the guardian involved to confirm it." She answered coldly, "In the meantime, _don't_ ask her about your future."

He turned back to Marinette, his eyes brightened slightly, "One question, you said?"

"No." Peacock interjected.

"It's not about the future." He replied, slightly jovial. He turned back to the girl, as though she were apart of a slightly-nefarious plan. Hawkmoth asked innocently, "If you know my identity, do you know Peacock's?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, I do."

Madame Peacock scowled, "The Guardian is on his way, kindly stop talking, Hawkmoth."

"To her,"—he took a slight step closer to the woman, flirting—"Or to you? It's been a moment since we've last seen each other."

Marinette immediately noticed the difference. Gabriel flirted with Nathalie with carelessness. The man she saw now was precise, testing the ice of a frozen lake to see if it would yield to him.

She took a considerable step away, "I have not forgiven you."

Hawkmoth frowned, "Revealing my identity to you was a mistake, but don't you think your reaction is overdramatic?"

"I bet you're a condescending ass in the future, too." Celine retorted, rolling her eyes, "I'm only here as a favor to Fu, you know that."

Marinette's eyebrows furrowed, "I don't understand."

"What's there to understand? Hawkmoth and I _aren't_ partners anymore." She spat to her, "You should already know this, if you're from the future."

The two heroes returned to staring at eachother, and they missed Marinette's jaw dropping to the floor. _Not partners?_ _Oh god, what if Adrien's never born?_ Panic seeped into her skin like lotion, and hands were twitching. _Something has to be done._

The man shrugged, and pulled out his house keys, and descended upon a side door. "Let's get inside, shall we? I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

Agreeing, she headed through the door, which was apparently a kitchen, with an antiquated style of the 1940s. Still, it was immaculately cleaned. Marinette was staring, taking in the image.

"When are you going to redecorate?" She asked him. "This isn't very fashion-forward."

He scowled at her, letting his transformation go. Gabriel stood a blue and gold cardigan, dark gray-pleated slacks, and a white dress shirt, slightly unbuttoned. "My mother has explicitly forbidden me from re-decorating."

Gabriel led the two woman across the foyer, and Marinette looked up. There was a painted portrait hanging over the stairwell. It was Gabriel, as a young child, and his two parents. His mother sat in the middle of a great armchair, and the two men flanked her on both sides, looking almost identical. Gabriel was the spitting image of his father. The woman was regal, a brunette with Victorian ringlets. She tried to rack her brain about knowledge of his parents, but she hadn't looked into it to begin with, and therefore knew nothing.

Opening the door to the east room, she went inside, and realized that it wasn't always an office, as it was in the current present. It was a very elegant parlor, with a gold, silver, and cream baroque style. Her feet dug into the ornate rug that stretched over the entire massive floor.

Fu was already seated in one of the striped chairs, his arm resting on the ornate, gilded armrest. He stood. "Please, have a seat." He gestured to the love-seat across from his own.

Marinette put her chin out, and strode across the room, not glancing at the candled sconces, the priceless paintings on the wall, the breathtaking chandelier. She lowered herself on to the cushion. The girl had to be focused on keeping identity a secret from Gabriel.

 _No wonder every seat in Gabriel's house is uncomfortable!_ She thought painfully, _he_ grew up _on uncomfortable chairs._

The loveseat forced her to sit up straight, lest she sink in the back and have her feet drape horrendously off the floor. Gabriel took a seat in one of the single armchairs to her right, and Madame Peacock to the armchair across from him.

She made a point to stare daggers into him.

He made a point by ignoring her completely, choosing to glance between Marinette and Master Fu.

"So." Fu smiled at her, "Tell me about yourself."

Her eyes landed to the coffee table between them, and she noticed seven coins laid on into a neat line. They looked to be carved out of a smooth stone, and each were embossed with a symbol of each miraculous.

Snapping back up to him, she gave the man a warm smile, "If it's all the same to you, I—I'd like to head home now. There isn't much to know about me, and I'm sure my family is worried."

"Alright." Fu replied, a twinkle in his eye, "How did you know Gabriel's identity?"

Swallowing hard, she answered, "He told me as I was disappearing, I guess. He said to come find him."

Fu pursed his lips, "So, why did you disappear, did Hawkmoth send you back in time?"

"No. Yellow Jacket..." Marinette answered. _I have no knowledge of the miraculous, I only know her by her supervillain name._ "I'm not really comfortable discussing it, or much about the future in general. My name is Marinette, I'm a student at Lycee, and I work for a fashion design company. My parents own a bakery, but it won't open for another year or so. I have nothing to hide."

"Would that design company be my company?" He prodded, leaning forward slightly.

She glanced away, towards Celine, "I can't say."

Fu picked up the Turtle miraculous coin, and rolled I in his fingers. "Right, obviously. Gabriel Agreste and Madame Peacock have a lot to learn until they can be trusted with events to come." He paused, meeting her gaze, "Heads or tails, Marinette?"

The other side of the coin was blank. She swallowed, "Uh…heads?"

He flipped the coin, and it landed on the coffee table, where it was originally. The blank side faced up. The game was simple.

Fu picked up the next coin, feeling the weight in his hands. The Fox miraculous symbol on one side, the other side blank.

"Could you just do a circle of salt or something and send me home?" She suggested.

"What would you know about salt circles?" He replied quietly, "Heads or tails?"

Mari swallowed, despite her increasingly dry mouth, "Tails."

Blank.

"Well done." Fu picked up the Bee miraculous coin, "Heads or tails?"

"I guess…tails again?" Her forehead was breaking out into a cold sweat.

The coin clattered back into it's spot, the blank side up. The Butterfly miraculous was next.

"That's not necessary." Gabriel told them. "I have the Butterfly miraculous."

Marinette took the appropriate time to feign surprise, "Wait, do you think…do you think I have superpowers?"

"It's just a test." Fu answered, "We need to be sure that you're a civilian, like you claim. If you have nothing to hide, like you said a few moments ago, you should be able to continue." He handed her the butterfly coin.

Swallowing, she flipped the coin onto the table, blank. She moved rapidly to the Peacock miraculous coin, and that to was a blank. Her eyes fell to the Black Cat coin, and the Ladybug coin. She took the Black Cat coin, and thought about the brief second in time that she _was_ Chat Noir.

 _You can do this._ She thought, _you are luck in physical form._ Tossing the coin into the air, she watched it unceremoniously fall onto the coffee table, on the edge of the coin for an eighth of a second, before landing on the blank side.

She visibly relaxed, until she realized that they were waiting for her to pick up the Ladybug coin.

* * *

 _AN: You guys don't understand, I've been wanting to stick Marinette in the mid 90s for a really long time. I've waited so long, I'm so ready. (On that note, let me be explicit in saying that there will, under no circumstances, be shipping between Marinette and Gabe, and that they are my HELL NOTP)_


	16. Chapter 16

Nathalie was resigned in the breakfast nook, sipping a homemade espresso. The light cascaded through the window, the Parisian morning finally coming to life. She twirled a fountain pen in her hand.

"Aunt Nat?" the boy peeked into the kitchen, before crossing over to the pantry. "Shouldn't you-you know, be at work?"

"I should." She agreed, standing, "Adrien's taking over the company while his father is on bedrest. His first order of business was to push back all company activity by an hour."

The boy smiled, "Is he alright with that?"

"He has to be." She answered, "It does mean I get to see you off to school, though."

Maybe he noticed the way her hands shook slightly. He sat across from her, and glanced down at the letter on the desk. Nathalie turned the paper over, so that it rested face down. It was stiff in her fingers.

"Is everything okay?" He asked her quietly.

She set her cup down, and reminded herself that lying ultimately rips families apart. "Everything's going to be fine. I'll tell you all about it when it's set in stone, okay?"

The woman stood, taking the crisp piece of paper in her hands. Checking her watch, she bid her nephew good bye.

Nathalie typically entered through the kitchen of the Agreste mansion, because the cooks always left out a croissant for her. Ignoring her plate, she brushed through the dining room. When she passed Gabriel and Adrien, sitting in silence over breakfast, she stopped, and turned around.

"The cat's out of the bag, isn't it?" Adrien quipped, his smile soft. "What's the agenda for the day?"

"It's in an e-mail." The woman replied.

Gabriel leaned back, looking resigned to his fate. He'd probably stay home and sketch, or knit while listening to some audiobook. He wore an old sweater and dark jeans, looking rather casual. Adrien was the complete opposite, in a strict suit and tame hair.

 _Be strong,_ she thought.

"Have a seat, Ms. Sancouer." The father gestured down, "Obviously, we need to discuss what's going to change around here."

"Ah, good. I'll start." She replied, handing him the piece of paper.

He took the paper, and stood, staring at it. "Adrien, please excuse us." His voice was the generic firmness that he always used with his son. "We'll be in my office."

The boy looked between his father and his father's assistant. Wiping his mouth on a napkin, he stood. "Of course. We do have a nine o'clock meeting, however."

"It won't take long." She told the boy, heading through the door and into the main foyer of the house.

Her heals clicked against the marble, and he walked behind her, quietly. She shut her eyes for a moment as they crossed the staircase.

"A letter of resignation?" He asked carefully. Inevitably, the man wasn't patient. They were having this conversation at the bottom of the stairs.

She turned and nodded, "It is."

Gabriel smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling. He was hiding his annoyance, but he was stiffer than usual, his hands were in the front pockets of his jeans. "Can I ask why?"

 _Because you found out Marinette's identity._ The timeline was pretty clear. Gabriel got footage of Ladybug transforming in his office, then pushed Adrien into her arms, presented her with a designer collection. Because at the same time, Hawkmoth began consistently attacking Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

 _Because I've known you for almost twenty years, and when I think of you and Hawkmoth, nothing else has made as much sense as this. Because you asked me about my old neighborhood, when I told you and Celine_ distinctly _that I grew up in Lyon._

Nathalie felt like her entire world she created, the lie she lived as a woman who didn't have a criminal record, or mafia connections, was suddenly coming to a crashing halt. "My contract doesn't involve babysitting superheroes, and I don't want it to."

"It's about Adrien?" He asked, "Obviously, I can make adjustments. He's practically an adult, and want's to be treated like one. You can just work at the office as my executive assistant, like the old times."

She swallowed, "This isn't up for negotiation. I'm quitting."

Gabriel tilted his head to the side, "You and I are two of the best negotiators in Paris. Don't tell me that there isn't room for _negotiation,_ Nathalie. We both know that that's not the case here."

"There is no room, Gabriel Agreste."

"Why?" He challenged, blinking rapidly for a moment.

She put her hands behind her back, and straightened up slightly, "I wasn't aware that I owed you an explanation. You have my letter of resignation. That's enough, sir."

 _That's right,_ Nathalie told her self, _professional. Leave on good terms._

Then she felt something, a small piece of him searching the emotional ocean of her mind. Nathalie had thought that Gabriel could read people like a book, and she felt him trying to read her fairly often, but now she had a distinct presence within her. A presence that a person can't feel until they knew what to feel for.

The entire sensation sends her to the floor, uprooting her secure spot on earth and almost planting her face to the marble floor. Luckily, her (former) _former,_ FORMER boss caught her knee-jerk reaction. Gabriel set her back onto her feet, and immediately caught her facial expressions.

Nathalie didn't often make facial expressions. She looked horrified that he touched her, and terrified that he was still standing that close to her, checking to make sure that she was alright.

He retreated immediately, and let out a sigh, "So that's why you want to quit."

"Why'd you do it?" She asked him, "You were adored. You had the key to the city. You were a hero."

"I didn't have my partner to share it with." He replied coolly. "Obtaining their miraculous would've expanded the powers of mine, so that I could search the entire world and find her, talk to her, know that she was safe." Gabriel's eyes pierced through her, "You and Adrien knew all along where she was, however."

Biting her lip, she nodded, and started to head for the door, "I should go. I still have to get to HR and—"

"You shouldn't quit." Gabriel told her, meeting her stride and cutting her off.

Swallowing, she let herself feel anger. _You are allowed to be furious,_ she told herself, "What are you going to do, blackmail me into staying?"

Gabriel was soft, sweet, even. It was a voice she recognized from the man who flirted with her twenty years ago. "I would never blackmail you, Nathalie Sancouer," he informed her.

"You're a supervillain who regularly annoyed the living daylights out of me back in my youth." She replied, crossing her arms, "I highly doubt that you won't do something."

"Supervillian is such a harsh word." He replied, his eyes bright, "And furthermore, I've been taking actions to reform my character."

 _Only because your son probably found out. Or you found out that he was Chat Noir. Either way._ Her eyes narrowed, "I'm not interested in any of this. This is crossing a line. You—You're a complete jackass, you know that?"

He pursed his lips, "Everyone seems to have that reaction when they discover my identity. You're not the first, Nathalie." Gabriel took a step forward, "I can only guess how much you want to forget about your past, and I want you to know that I have no intentions of bringing that aspect of your life up."

"Well, if you tell anyone about my past, I'll tell _everyone_ that you're Hawkmoth." She promised him, "I don't have to remind you about my extensive contact list."

"I mean when people call or e-mail me for job references." Gabriel corrected her, shifting back slightly into the businessman she had always known. "If you tell people that I'm Hawkmoth, that'll lead people to Adrien's identity as well."

Adrien chose this moment to make the two adults aware of his presence. "I'm inclined to agree."

They both turned to him, clearly embarrassed. Gabriel took a noticeable step back. Adrien was leaning against the door, years of modelling trained him to look incredibly casual. "Adrien, how much of that did you hear?" Nathalie dared to ask.

"All of it." He replied, shooting his father an irritated look. "We should come up with a compromise. Nathalie, you should quit, you have every right to. However, there's been far too much attention on us in the past month or so. If you quit _right_ after I've returned to Paris, and _right_ after my father's medical emergency, it'll draw more attention that we don't want."

Nathalie scowled, agreeing with the boy. "What do you propose?"

"Please continue working until the new year." He asked. "It'll only be two or three more months, and then you can go with double your severance, and glowing recommendations."

Gabriel exhaled, "I have an assignment for you, in the meantime."

"I hate you."

Adrien was tempted to ask Nathalie to join the club, but decided against it. Plagg didn't. Plagg told Nathalie to join the club, because they were looking for a club treasurer, as well as a good meeting place.

Nathalie wasn't shocked at the existence of a floating black cat god, but did reply that she was already in the Chat Noir fan club, and couldn't divide her time between the two.

"Find out Queen Bee's identity." He told her. "Get in contact with your old friends, get the entire network going if that's what it takes."

The boy descending on the two of them in an instant. "No. Nathalie is _not_ getting involved. It's dangerous."

Gabriel smirked, "I'm sure she's very, very used to dangerous situations at this point."

Nathalie stared at the two, glaring at each other, and decided she was absurdly lucky to not have a life as complicated as The Agreste Men. "I'm not getting involved, Gabriel Agreste." She told him, crossing her arms.

She gathered her anger back onto the tip of her tongue, and continued, "I know that having someone who relies on you hasn't stopped you from being reckless in the past, but it certainly stops me. I have a nephew who would have a considerably harder life if something were to happen to me. You're _lucky_ that Adrien didn't have to see you arrested for your crimes against humanity." Staring daggers into Gabriel, she let herself relax, and return her gaze to the boy, "We have a meeting to attend to."

The boy nodded, and glanced over at his father with an amused smile, "Was there any more flirting that you wanted to do before we left for the day, father?"

The assistant blanched, and Gabriel adopted a cool expression, "Please go. You're being disrespectful to those attending the meeting."

Nathalie felt his eyes on her as she exited the mansion.

* * *

Marinette took the Ladybug coin in her hand, weighing it slightly. "Master Fu." She asked pointedly, "Can you erase memories?"

He's was taken aback, and replied, "I could, why?"

She flipped the coin, and it landing on the Ladybug side, standing, she informed him, "My identity is very important to me. I can't have these two running around with that kind of knowledge before I'm even _given_ the miraculous."

Peacock sat back, "You can't trust us?"

The girl swallowed, "I just think it'd be better. As soon as I disappear, I want both of your memories _erased_."

Gabriel nodded, "I agree. We don't want to change the future too much."

Letting herself sigh in relief, she sat back down and stared at the Guardian. "Well?"

Fu nodded, "I can do it. You have my word. What about your partner?"

A chill ran down her body, "Chat Noir…I don't know." She inhaled, reminding herself to breath out. "I disappeared and he was in front of me, I think I saw her flying away but—oh god, I don't know."

"It's nothing you can change now." Gabriel told her. He sucked in a breath, "Was there anything else we wanted to discuss?"

The old man smiled and shot a teasing smile over to Peacock, "Don't you think it's time you forgive Gabriel?"

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows, but said nothing.

Madame Peacock scowled, "It's _Gabriel Agreste,_ Fu. Do you know—why would you even give him a miraculous. What did he do to deserve it?"

The pig-tail girl snorted without thinking, and immediately flushed.

The blonde whirled on her, staring daggers into her skin, "Something to add, child?"

"Didn't you steal your miraculous?" She asked innocently.

"Who told you?"

She pointed to the twenty-something blonde man sitting opposite Madame Peacock. "He did?"

"Who told you?" Peacock looked at him furiously.

The man smiled slightly, "I didn't tell her. I guess, I haven't told her yet. I assume I will, now that I know. I think we've already created a time loop." Gabriel stood, "Marinette is providing the present me with information that I'll be able to tell her in the future, which she will come back and tell me."

Tikki flew out of Marinette's jacket. " _Unless_ Madame Peacock tells you herself in the future, which she must, because I have distinct memories of _your_ memory getting erased."

Gabriel nodded, adding, "Which means that Madame Peacock _eventually_ forgives me and we're close enough that she tells me that information!"

Madame Peacock looked stone cold. She glanced over to Marinette, "I assume Gabriel is still as big of a jackass in the future as he is now?"

Marinette nodded, smiling slightly. "More than you know." She scooted over to the woman, "So, why are you and Monsieur Agreste fighting?"

"He revealed his identity to me." She replied. "It was unacceptable."

"I have already apologized." Gabriel told her. "I don't know what I can do it convince you that I'm sorry."

Marinette frowned, "I think you should forgive him, Madame Peacock."

Fu raised his hands, "All wounds need time to heal. Marinette, you can stay here, in the mansion. Peacock and I will leave you two to get some rest."

Madame Peacock stood, glaring at Gabriel, "Have a good evening."

"Likewise." He replied, standing up to walk her out.

The woman stared at Fu, who was still sitting, looking amused. "Anything you wanted to tell me before I go?"

She let herself smile deviously, "Those two get married, and have a kid who ends up being Chat Noir."

Fu nodded, smirking as well, "I hope they figure things out soon."

"Me too." Marinette agreed, standing to head towards the guest rooms.

* * *

"Is this blended?" He glanced over at Nathalie. "I swear, you don't apply concealer for a month and it all goes downhill."

"It could be better." She admits. "I think you put on too much, and in the wrong color."

He scowled, and dove back into his father's desk (temporarily his for the next two weeks), and removes a makeup wipe, swiping it all off of his face in an instant. "You know what? Everyone around me is assuming that my not-girlfriend is dead. I don't have to hide my under-eyes."

Nathalie didn't say anything, after all, Gabriel had said the same thing when Paris found out that his wife had left him.

Adrien readjusted his coat, "Is the car here?"

Nathalie nodded, "I can still cancel. You can always use your father's health as an excuse."

"I already promised to have dinner with Chloe." He told her. "She'll be a nice distraction."

* * *

 _AN: I'm sorry this is so short! I'm having writer's block for this chapter, and I started a new fic for this damn fandom that's been occupying a lot of my thoughts. Don't worry! Next chapter will make up for this one!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chloe sat across from him, absolutely pleased to the core. They were in a secluded spot of one of her father's restaurants, away from prying ears and eyes. Still, she wanted the whole world to know that he was there, with her.

The boy was a rainy cloud. But it didn't matter. Chloe Bourgeois was sunshine the moment. Still, she could be charming when it was required of her.

"I'm sorry that the circumstances of our reunion aren't better." She told him softly. "Thank you for not cancelling."

Adrien looked up at her, meeting her with dark green eyes. "It's not a problem." He replied softly, "It's a good distraction, isn't it?"

"It is. I know she and I weren't—"

"Aren't." He corrected her firmly, "Marinette is alive and well."

The blonde shot him a knowing smile, and briefly thought about targeting Chat Noir, who had gone on the offensive in public, taking interviews, and convincing the world that Ladybug was safe. "I know we aren't friends, Marinette and I, but she did rescue me a handful of times. She's brave enough to face whatever she's facing now."

 _Mid-nineties fashion always suited her, anyway,_ Chloe thought bitterly.

Adrien set his glass of water down, "I agree. But it's important to look forward. What's new with you, Chloe?" He casually took the miraculous off his finger, and placed it in his coat pocket, where he assumed Plagg was. Plagg was off somewhere, most likely stealing from the kitchen.

"Well," Chloe smiled, "I've been doing a lot of homework. That's different."

He gave her a crooked smile, "Have you?"

"I mean, I only ever hung out with Sabrina, and you." She replied, "So when you left, I had a lot of free time." The blonde pressed her lips together, not mentioning the hours she had spent learning archery.

"What's your favorite subject?" Adrien asked her, perking up slightly.

She smiled, "I suppose I like math. Nothing much else, however."

Math had a clear and obvious goal, with clear and obvious instructions and methods. Chloe had quickly spotted the effects that the miraculous had on her. Numbers had become like Tiffany stained glass, everything went together perfectly to form one image.

He nodded, "I'm a big fan of physics, myself."

"When are you returning to class?" She asked, not truly wanting to know. Chloe liked him better when he wasn't surrounded by classmates who hated her down to the core.

Adrien shrugged, "I'm ahead of the classwork, as you know, but I have to watch over my father's company for the next few days."

 _Right._ The rumors had run rampant in the upper-class social circles. "What happened, Adrien? Everyone's saying different things."

"He was overworked."

"Like you were." She frowned distinctly. "I'm sorry that you had to deal with that all alone. Marinette disappears out of thin air and your father collapses."

Her kwami had told her that Marinette seeked Gabriel out in the nineties, but his memory was erased. Chloe wondered what Adrien knew. She would have to watch Adrien's father. It would lead her to Chat Noir, who's schedule was incredibly difficult to pin point.

Adrien shook his head, "It wasn't the same. Father was driving me up a wall with schedules and photoshoots and things, and it all hit a breaking point...you could say my father and I were running in different circles."

"Different circles?"

"We were always meant to collide, like galaxies, the two of us." Adrien elaborated. "It was only a matter of time."

Chloe leaned back, "I wasn't aware that your father had any emotion towards you whatsoever."

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She snapped her mouth shut and looked down. There were few ways to illicit Adrien's anger. One of the ways was to accuse Gabriel Agreste of not loving him.

She sat there, in that silence, waiting to get an earful.

Adrien chuckled. Adrien put his fist in his mouth to stifle the wave of laughter. Chloe looked up, bewildered. There was not a speck of rage across the boy's face.

"I'm s-sorry for l-laughing." He wheezed out, before finally composing himself and brushing back his hair. "My father has more emotions at the moment than I do, however."

Blinking, she wondered what the month he had spent with his mother had done to him. He was certainly different. It wasn't a bad different, but her approach would have to change.

After the dinner, she led him back to her suite at the hotel, and they relaxed on one of her couches, resigned to watch a few movies in the comfortable silence they had known as children together.

* * *

Plagg shoved Vennum against the wall, " _Where is the arrow, you parasite?_ "

The two kwami were in Chloe's extensive closet. Plagg was ripping everything apart, and Vennum was fixing the mess that god of destruction was creating. There was a point where destroying her things didn't abate the Black Cat kwami, however.

"I can't tell you." The kwami responded indifferently, "has that boy made you even more idiotic?"

The black cat growled, "I'll tell him."

"You know you're bound not to." Vennum replied. "Why don't you let this play out? Isn't this _fun_? Or do you only have fun when you're in control of the manipulation?"

Flitting back, his tail swished behind him. Plagg welcomed the darkness that seeped into him, without Tikki to balance him out. Thankfully, Fu wasn't there to mediate the situation. Gabriel let him fly around Paris, and Adrien didn't know any better. The kwami knew it was a matter of time before accidents happened. People would trip more, storms would be stronger, flus would be longer.

It wasn't fun. Without Tikki there would be no sunlight, and Plagg was a cat kwami. He liked sunlight, and warm breezes, despite denying it to his last breath.

"This isn't fun." Plagg told him pointedly. "You can't just upset magical balance. Tikki is _gone._ "

"She's in 1994. Not gone."

"Not _present."_ He wanted to shout, but the children were in the next room. His ward, his kitten, his _friend_ (Plagg would deny it to his last breath) was sitting next to that monster. "As far as we're considered, Tikki doesn't exist currently. Do you realize what you've done? What you've let that spoiled brat do?"

Vennum rolled his eyes, "Do you think I care? And spoiled brat, _really?_ You got a rich boy who can buy you all the cheese you want. You're looking more and more like a Chinese Buddha."

"What can I do to get her back?"

"Chloe will _probably_ bring her back once she's certain that Adrien is hers."

Plagg was incredulous, Plagg hissed. Chat Noir loves Ladybug. "That will never happen and you know it."

The Bee kwami gave him a thoughtful look, "Then I suggest that you hope for a miracle, Plagg."

Scowling and growling, the kwami reduced himself to his essence, and seeped into Gabriel's office.

Gabriel looked up, slightly unimpressed. Nathalie stood opposite the desk, and stared as well.

"I didn't introduce myself." Plagg purred, "My name is Plagg, I am the tiny god giving Adrien his powers. If you could get me some camembert that would be wonderful."

The woman looked at Gabriel, "I seem to recall an instance five minutes ago, where I told you not to involve me in anything magical, Gabriel Agreste."

"He is beyond my control." The man replied. "Also, I suppose we finally have an explanation for the amount of cheese the kitchen keeps using up."

The kwami rolled his eyes, "Where's Nooroo, I need to talk to him."

Glaring at him, he opened his desk drawer, and Nooroo flew out, and immediately flitted over to Nathalie. "Hello! I'm Nooroo. I know we've never formally met, but I'm really happy to meet you!"

Nathalie pushed up her glasses, and skirted around the kwami, "Didn't you hear me? Not involved."

"EH-HEM!" Plagg barreled into the Butterfly kwami, "We have _things to discuss_. LET'S GO!"

Gabriel snatched Plagg's tail, "What is it?"

"Get your grubby hands off of me." The god spat, "I will destroy you."

Nathalie rolled her eyes, and retorted, "You can't. He has a conference call in two hours. It'll have to wait."

Nooroo landed on Gabriel's head, something the kwami hadn't done in years, "He can't tell you, Gabriel."

Gabriel let Plagg go, only to swat Nooroo off of him. "Fine. Go."

Plagg dragged his older brother away by the wing, they phased through several walls of the mansion.

"It's Chloe Bourgeois." He told him. "She wants my kid to love her, Nooroo."

"And?" The kwami blinked, "It's not going to happen."

His ear twitched, " _You_ could make it happen. Temporarily. You just have to convince your guy to cast one of your spells."

Nooroo looked at Plagg, "That wouldn't work. Chat Noir loves Ladybug. Adrien loves Marinette. There's no secret anymore dividing those identities."

Plagg bared his teeth, regretting his words. "Ladybug isn't here for the kid to love. Therefore, that magic is rendered dormant until she returns. And she's only going to return once Chloe is positive that he loves her and only her."

"Tell him to fake it." Nooroo answered. "Gabriel won't go for it."

Groaning, he replied, "I can't tell him to fake it, because I can't tell him why. He'll demand a reason. The boy is heartbroken right now and I can't do _anything_."

The butterfly flew over to the unsettled Kwami. Plagg had learned emotions over time, anger, sadness, indifference, whereas Nooroo was born with it. "It's okay to be upset, you know."

That got an eyeroll out of the cat. Nooroo had ignored him deliberately for the past year, so that Gabriel wouldn't be suspicious of Adrien. Plagg was petty.

Glancing around, he whispered, "Did you ever drop hints to the boy? About my ward?"

"He's oblivious."

"You can drop hints to Gabriel." Nooroo told him. "The man will pick up almost everything. Suggest one step, and he's already five steps ahead."

Plagg frowned. The thought of Gabriel getting ahold of the Bee miraculous was almost as terrifying as Tikki and Marinette being stuck in the past for far too long. The kwami sighed, it was late. Past midnight.

They phased back into Gabriel's office, and Nooroo pulled Plagg back through the wall. Gabriel and Nathalie were standing behind the desk, glaring at a very pissed of Yellow Jacket.

* * *

Chloe _had_ to do something about Gabriel Agreste. If the man knew exactly where and when Marinette was, she couldn't let him go around and tell people that she was stuck in 1994. She couldn't give Adrien any hope of Marinette's return, no matter how much Chat Noir had told the press.

She burst through his window, fully costumed. And practically staggered back at the sight of Nathalie Sancoeur standing next to her boss, looking slightly shocked.

Clearing her throat, she proceeded to glare at Gabriel Agreste. "I have a bone to pick with you, sir."

Gabriel pursed his lips, smiling politely, "You must be Yellow Jacket. I didn't expect your outfit to be so grandiose. What can I do for you?"

Yellow Jacket crossed her arms, " _Stop_ talking to Chat Noir."

"I don't follow." He answered quizzically, "Nathalie can attest that I'm not in contact with any superheroes at the moment."

Yellow Jacket crossed over to a portrait of Adrien on the wall. "When Chat Noir announced that Ladybug was safe and alive, I thought to myself: How could he know? How does he know that Ladybug _is_ alive? He's been saying it, swearing on his mother and father's grave by it." Yellow Jacket turned, "I think you told her."

"What knowledge would I have?" He asked her. "I don't know where my employee is."

She withdrew an arrow. "I don't play games, Monsieur Agreste, so I suggest you stop lying before I force the truth out of you."

He took a step in front of Nathalie. "Alright. I told Marinette's parents that she was safe." Gabriel glared at her, "You don't know what loss feels like, girl."

His words were too cutting, they begged her to respond, to disagree.

Yellow Jacket knew better.

The girl smirked, "Fishing for information, are we?"

"I am. I commend you for not falling for it, however." Gabriel replied coldly, "What you've done is childish, and irresponsible. You don't even know, do you?"

She rolled her eyes, "What do you know?"

"I've been living and breathing magic and miraculous since I first met Marinette, in '94." He replied, his eyes burning through the girl. "There are real consequences beyond whatever petty rivalry you've created between yourself and Ladybug."

Yellow Jacket pursed her lips, "Do you think I care?"

Gabriel paled.

The blonde smoothed down her bangs. "Are there really consequences, or are you lying?"

The man straightened. "What have you done to prove that you could be trusted with that sort of information, Yellow Jacket? You sent a _child_ back to a time she was even born, and aimed to convince everyone that she was dead. Convince her _parents,_ convince those _who love her whole-heartedly,_ convince _my son_ that she's dead _._ " Gabriel spat.

"You took her away from her partner, Chat Noir, who could easily _become a damned villain_ because there's no yin to balance his yang." The man scowled. "You have no idea what you've unleashed within Chat Noir."

The girl smirked, intending to leave the way she entered. "Now who's fishing for information, Gabriel Agreste?"

He scowled at her, "If I were you, I would stay as far away from him as possible."

"I'll keep that in mind." She replied, flying out the window.

Watching her go, he moved out of Nathalie's way. "I'm sorry that you were here for that."

Nathalie was dumbstruck, "How? How can you just stand there and face that monster?"

Gabriel glanced down at her, his smile so slight she could've easily missed it. "I've faced scarier heroes. Marinette was Chat Noir for five minutes. _That was terrifying._ "

"Why? She's probably the most good-hearted girl I've ever met."

"Hence why she shouldn't be handed the miraculous of destruction."

* * *

Marinette woke up in a guest room of the house. It would be Adrien's future room. There were clothes laid out for her, which she put on, grimacing at a college sweatshirt and jeans, both of which were clearly Gabriel's.

She went into the bathroom, finding new toiletries, and brushed her teeth, and brushed her hair into submission. There was a note on the sink, that breakfast was served at 8. Thankfully, it was a quarter 'til.

There wasn't a moment where Marinette wasn't aware that she was stuck in the nineties, in an age where text messaging wasn't really a viable option, where her parent's croissants weren't readily available. Life wasn't fair.

She descended the stairs, still struck by the outdated décor, when she ran into Gabriel, running down the steps in a flurry. His arms were carrying papers, a pin cushion was on his wrist, and a garment was draped over his shoulder. Blonde hair stuck out in almost every direction.

Noticing her immediately, he stilled, and tried to appear composed. "Good morning."

She held out her hands, "Give me something to carry. Where are we going?"

"My workshop in the basement. I have two hours before I have to get to class and present this to my model." He told her, handing her his papers. Essays, apparently.

Marinette knew that the essays he had written as a student in design school would later be sold for thousands of dollars, and compiled into a book (which she had read), but didn't remark on it.

She followed him down a flight of stairs, into the basement, "You work in the basement?"

"My parents don't approve of my interests." He answered, leading her into a medium-sized room, which was smaller than his workroom in her present, but still impressive. "And I would've done this last night if not for your inconvenient timing."

The girl hummed, dancing around the work table he was placing the garment on, "Timing."

He scowled, and began to pin several buttons into place, so that they may perfectly fit into already-sewn button holes. "Go get us breakfast, will you?"

"I could do that, couldn't I?" She asked, "However, I excel at handwork sewing. Embroidery, beading, fasteners. I'll do the buttons for you if you get breakfast."

Gabriel stared at her, but she wasn't budging. "I don't trust you with my garments."

Tikki emerged from behind Marinette. "You should. You hired her and gave her a successful collection."

The man must've known the kwami, because he clearly trusted Tikki's word. He nodded, and left her to attach the buttons to the cream-colored dress. As a student of fashion, she recognized it immediately. It was a dress Celine Russo wore, that he had designed. One of many, but one that had made an impact on the fashion community, and landed in several magazines.

 _And she got to work on it!_ Her satisfaction was palpable as her hands got to work, effortlessly attaching button after button.

When Gabriel returned with two plates of steak and eggs, she was already halfway finished, to his surprise. "No wonder I hired you." He commented, setting her plate down. "You're like, fourteen?"

"Fifteen." She corrected him.

He huffed, "No wonder you were sent back in time, you'll grow out of your inexperience, I promise.. How long have you had those earrings?"

"A year." Marinette answered, "Though I'm more capable than you. You haven't had to fight a miraculous holder, not yet, at least." She failed to mention that it would be her, and who would be his son.

"And you have?"

"I did it for a year."

Gabriel swallowed, "Yellow Jacket."

She nodded, "Yellow Jacket."

It wouldn't ultimately matter, if Gabriel knew that he would become the villain. Marinette knew that the man was incredibly self-aware. He probably already knew that he could go that far, that he could cross lines if he was close enough. Still, she was his houseguest, and declaring him her enemy would be impolite.

Marinette smiled, "I'm almost finished with this. Go back to bed."

"There's a—"

"I know about the hemming stitch." She told him softly, "Please, I didn't intend to keep you awake for so long. Don't let me have an impact on your education."

He smirked, "I'm a superhero by night, Marinette. This sort of thing is normal. Balancing school and superhero work isn't too hard."

She snorted as she sewed, "Not to, er, one-up you, but I have to balance school, work, _and_ superhero stuff."

He leaned back, his hands still on the work table. "Yes, it must be so hard, being so young, so successful, and able to stay up well past midnight without suffering the next morning." Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Enjoy it while it lasts."

She turned the garment over, and began on the hemming stitch. "Yes, of course. The least I can do would be to help you out with your projects while I'm here."

"You're transparent." Gabriel smoothed out the garment as she worked. "You want to work on my garments because you know they'll lead me to a success you've already gotten to witness."

Marinette shrugged, not denying it as she continued. The dress would go to the top of Celine's knees, so the hem would only take her about a half hour. The man watched her work, in awe of her speed. "I'm only fast, because you required it of your interns." She told him pointedly. "I'm only fast, because I had to fight as Ladybug for the better part of a year, which meant speed in every other aspect of my life."

His eyes sparkled, "Want to come with, today? It's the fashion show. Midterms."

"I've shadowed you before." She answered, "But, yes, that would be amazing."

* * *

Chat Noir dug his claws into the palms of his hands. "What do you mean, she was here?"

Gabriel stood in his office. Nathalie was long gone, and it was past midnight. Adrien had arrived from Chloe's suite a half hour after Yellow Jacket left. "Vennum must've told her that Marinette come to me back then. She accused me of telling you that she's alive and safe."

"Well, you did." He answered. "You didn't do anything? You could've—"

"I knew Marinette was coming for me that night." He cut his son off. "And I couldn't have done anything. Her knowing my identity puts you at risk, puts the thousands I employ at risk."

Adrien swallowed, and glared at his father, "You'd put your reputation before the safety of Paris?"

"I would." Gabriel admitted, "That situation would be drastly different if I knew Yellow Jacket's identity, but I don't."

It didn't satisfy him, he raised his voice, "You would put _your reputation_ over bringing Marinette back, wouldn't you?"

His father clasped his hands behind his back, and swallowed. "Adrien, your temper."

" _My temper?_ " Adrien replied, incredulous. "I have every right to be angry."

"Of course you do." He smirked, "You need to take off your miraculous and relax."

Chat rolled his eyes, "Take off my miraculous? Why don't you take off yours and hand it off to someone who deserves it? If you're so _concerned_ with your already terrible reputation."

Gabriel crossed his arms, and furrowed his brows, and glanced over to a window, and whispered, "Yellow Jacket just got here, she's watching us, she's listening, Chat Noir. Keep yourself in check until she's gone."

Ears twitched, and he strained to hear her, flying slightly above one of the windows. He sat down, and let out a sigh. "She didn't overhear anything?"

"No." Gabriel replied. "I'm not going to tell you anything else about Marinette, I'm afraid. Yellow Jacket is threatening me."

"I won't let her hurt you, sir." He answered.

He scowled, "I have a son, Chat Noir, and believe it or not, I would do anything to protect him. That includes complying with Yellow Jacket. That's just how it is."

"I can protect him, too." The black cat replied quietly, blinking rapidly.

Gabriel smiled, "Of course you can. But you should focus on finding that arrow. I would suggest enlisting Hawkmoth's help."

Chat hissed, "He's not getting involved, sir."

Gabriel winked at him. "Hawkmoth can find the arrows. He senses emotions, he senses emotions surrounded objects. If you convince him to help you, it would be slow, but you could _in theory_ find the arrow, if he's not already looking for it."

The boy raised his eyebrows, and in an instant heard Yellow Jacket flutter away. Clearly, his father was up to something.

* * *

Nino, Alya, and Adrien were in a conference room in the basement of the Agreste house. It was a long table, surrounded with chairs, and whiteboards, along with an overhanging projector and screen.

The two of them sat at laptops, and Adrien was at the whiteboard, taking notes in neat script. Nino looked up. He had been examining, compiling, and comparing the footage of both fights. Alya was workign on the Ladyblog. "Did her aim increase?" Glancing over to Alya, "Or is it just the footage?"

"Yeah, her aim got better." She answered. After all, the girl had perfectly good memory of the first fight.

The boy swallowed, and pushed up his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "I mean, no one improves at archery _that_ quickly."

"So she practiced?" Adrien replied. "Or it's magic?"

Alya shook her head, "Chat and Ladybug both took their time getting into their elements, and perfecting their weapons."

Adrien nodded. "So. She practiced." He paused, "Where does one practice archery without getting caught?"

The girl frowned, "I don't know."

"Big, open spaces." Adrien replied. "Nino?"

"Parking decks." He rattled slightly, "Stadiums, theatres, parks, dance studios, warehouses."

The boy was writing them down quickly, as well as a few of his own ideas. "I think this is a good list. We can narrow it down though. If it has a security camera, chances are, she won't be there." He turned around to face them, and noticed how stiff Nino had become.

"Father." He looked over, to see Gabriel in red slacks, and a cream sweater. "You should be resting."

He swallowed, "I should. I told you not to get involved in superhero shenanigans." His gaze shifted to Adrien's classmates. "I see you two are still involved."

Alya smiled, "Our _shenanigans_ have been quite successful, sir."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "Have they? I wasn't aware that breaking-and-entering was something to brag about."

"No, it isn't." She smirked, not backing down, "But we did find a letter Marinette wrote to Chat, which we believe contributed to Hawkmoth's defeat."

Nino nodded. Gabriel looked at Adrien, puzzled, "Is that true?"

The boy nodded, understanding the double-meaning. "No one really knows what happened."

"Even still." The man chided them, "It terrifies me that the three of you are putting your lives at risk. Marinette wouldn't want any of you to put yourself in any kind of danger."

Okay, he actually rolled his eyes at his father. "We intend to hand over the relevant information to Chat Noir."

He was unimpressed, "Said the child who not only _found_ where an akuma kidnapped Marinette, broke into a warehouse, and investigated before calling the authorities." Gabriel turned, "I trust you all to make smart choices. Have a lovely afternoon."

"Wait, Monsieur Agreste." Alya called after him. When Gabriel turned back around, smiling, she asked, "If Marinette…were, say, sent back in time, would she find you?"

The man blinked, and smiled, "I'm sure she'd find her parents, first."

Nino shook his head, "She wouldn't want to prevent herself from being born."

"She also wouldn't want to prevent _me_ from being born." Adrien replied. "I think it's safe to say that if she did go back in time, she would try her best not to have an impact on the future, and therefore, would try her best to fend for herself."

That seemed to satisfy his classmates.


	18. Chapter 18

After Gabriel explained that his 'cousin' was a prospective student, she was granted access to the building, and promptly followed him into the main work area. Marinette was bewildered by the lack of security, but she headed into the building.

"Who's your model?" She asked, holding his white garment bag. The dress was inside, complete and perfect.

He groaned, "Please don't remind me. She's an anthropology student."

"So?"

The man gave her a brief smile, "She doesn't deserve to model for me, plain and simple. I'm here, I'm working towards my career goals, and she's not serious about modelling. If I got paired with someone who was trying to professionally model, we'd work wonders for each other."

"I'm sure it's not that bad." Marinette replied.

He lamented, "She's also incredibly muscular, which has proven obnoxious in designs and fittings. It's undoubtedly frustrating."

Mari scowled, "I design around my muscles all the time, I'll have you know."

The got an eye roll out of Gabriel Agreste. They were at his work station, and a young blonde was there, waiting for him.

Celine Russo (later known as Celine Agreste, supermodel) wore a brown large sweater that swallowed her frame, black leggings, and sneakers. Her golden hair was tied back in a ponytail with a green scrunchie, which large, fluffy waves spilled out of. She sat on his stool, but did stand to meet them.

"This is Marinette. She'll be shadowing me for the day." He told her, not bothering with formalities.

The woman smiled slightly, and held out her hand, "Celine, a pleasure to meet you." Of course, they both knew exactly who they were, but neither gave it away. In fact, this girl was shy, and didn't meet Gabriel's scorching gaze. She appeared like a deer in the headlights at his voice.

"Likewise." She smiled, hanging the garment bag up, unzipping it, and peeling the dress of the hanger. Marinette turned to Gabriel, questioning, "You wanted to do a final check, right?"

He nodded, "Celine, get dressed. I'm going to find out when your getting hair and makeup."

The pig-tailed girl suppressed a groan, and glanced over to the blonde. Celine pressed her lips together. Guilt and anguish were painted all over her face, as she stood, and shed her sweater and leggings.

Marinette avoided looking directly at her, and handed her the dress. "I can help with the zipper, if you'd like. The buttons can be avoided all together."

"I'll button it." Celine replied quickly, her fingers curling quickly over the fasteners down the center front.

"If you wrinkle that dress, you'll ruin my mark for the year." His voice cut through their ears.

She sighed, and brushed away a blue lock of hair from her eyes, and answered, "That fabric is too heavy to actually wrinkle, you know."

Celine turned to him, and buttoned the last button. "Shoes?"

He revealed a pair of yellow stilettos from under his desk. Gabriel bent down, and she placed a steady hand on his shoulder as he slid her feet into the shoes. It might've looked sweet, but Gabriel was obnoxiously mechanic, painfully cold, and clearly would've rather had someone else do it.

Marinette stood between them as they walked, because Celine didn't want to be anywhere near him, and Gabriel couldn't stand her. She tried to lighten the mood, "I heard you were an anthropology student. What made you get into modeling?"

"My dad suggested it." She replied, "If you ask anyone _except_ your cousin, I have the figure for it."

Gabriel said nothing for a moment, and they turned into what was apparently the makeup and hair room, where aspiring students were working on several models.

"I never said you didn't have the figure for it." He huffed, glancing over to Marinette.

Celine frowned, and looked at the ceiling, replying quickly, "Please, you didn't have to."

"You're not typically this bold." He replied, condescending amusement tickling his tongue.

She exhaled, but her cheeks flushed slightly.

 _Jesus,_ Marinette though, _these two are ridiculous._ She wondered if this was how Adrien and her acted. _This would be easier if he knew who she was._ Because clearly, the man acted like a perfect gentleman in front of Madame Peacock.

"So," The makeup artist spoke to the designer, while staring into the mirror at Celine. "What'll it be for today?"

His lips parted, and he sighed, "Her skin looks very dry, so don't use anything that makes her look matte. Highlighter would do, probably something gold-toned."

"Eyes?"

"They're already so wide." Gabriel answered, clearly frustrated with his model. "Everyone's doing smudged liner nowadays, so I want incredibly clean eyeliner. No wing, however. Don't elongate what's already long enough."

Celine down, her lips pressed together in a tight, small smile.

After five more minutes of Gabriel pointing out Celine's flaws, he was finally done with the makeup artist. For a second, Gabriel and his 'cousin' stood off to the side for a moment. Before the man could say another word, Marinette's hand clasped around his wrist and dragged him into the hallway. She had heard enough.

"Are you done?" The girl hissed at him, hoping that no one would overhear, "I won't tolerate you being cruel to her, you hear me?"

He looked stunned for a moment, and then glared at her, "She's my model, Marinette, I have to have complete perfection out of her."

Marinette wanted to pull her hair out. "You can get perfection without being a complete jerk!"

The man raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't want to do anything that might affect the future, Ms. Dupain-Cheng."

That shut her up incredibly quick.

 _This is hopeless._

Gabriel chuckled, and went back into the room. Marinette followed shortly. He began instructing the hairstylist carefully. Apparently, Celine had a thick head of hair that needed—

"Extra measures." He insisted, "Her hair can't keep a curl for more than a half hour, and when it's straight her entire face looks entirely too puffy. I'll settle for waves, but they better be _locked in_."

Marinette's blue eyes glanced over, and met Celine's own green eyes. _Shit, she looks so much like Adrien._ Her makeup was finished, and she looked incredibly irritated, and slightly upset. She could hear him ripping her apart, after all.

She, to simply put it, wasn't confident in her appearance, or her place in the room, and Marinette could tell by the way she avoided Gabriel's gaze, wincing at every calculated offense he threw in her direction.

Gabriel looked back at her, "Come on, we need to take our seats for the runway."

When they were walking down yet another hallway, she swallowed.

"Say it." He asked her. "Demand me to be nicer. You are not the first, though I am interested in your argument, as someone from the future might offer a different perspective."

"I wasn't going to demand anything of you." Marinette murmured, "I know you'll regret your actions."

He chuckled, "Care to place a wager on it?"

"Your firstborn son." She deadpanned.

"Deal." The man replied, laughing along with her.

* * *

The Agreste mansion _did_ have an attic. Gabriel deliberately put the archives he didn't want Adrien to find up there. Mainly because his son wasn't aware that there was an attic. It had no windows, and a lofty ceiling, with several columns.

He ducked slightly, avoiding the ceiling to the best of his ability. He had considered finishing the attic, but there really was something sentimental about the dusty location he retreated to in his youth. "I don't know where the 12th century accounts _are_ Celine."

Her voice was raised, "I'm telling you, they're in the far corner on the left—"

"I'm standing right at that spot." Gabriel answered. His voice dropped, "Though, of course, you could always come to Paris and find them for yourself."

"I'm trying to figure out what day Marinette will return to our present, you ass." She answered, "This isn't the time for flirting."

Gabriel sucked in. "I know. Don't be combative."

"I'm not being _combative._ " Celine replied, "If Marinette spent around three months with us in the past, does that mean she'll return three months into the future?"

"I don't know." He retorted, "Time travel has happened with miraculous but there's so few recordings of it, and everything we have details the Butterfly miraculous holder sending someone back in time."

He could feel her scowl as she muttered, "Shit."

"Relax." He murmured, "No one's asking you to figure all of this out. Everything will be fine. Stick to the plan, Peacock."

"Yeah, that's especially convenient for you, isn't it?" Celine growled.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "You think I can find you, right now? I have Yellow Jacket breathing down my neck because someone told Vennum that Marinette stayed with me. If I lead her to you, everything's going to fall apart."

"I know." She murmured, "We're sticking to the plan."

He sighed, and leaned against a load-bearing column. "She didn't tell us that Chat was Adrien."

Celine's voice dropped, "I know. We need to accept that he can handle himself, Gabriel."

"Convince Fu to hand someone the Fox miraculous, or have him pass down his miraculous." He snapped, "Adrien and Marinette have done enough. They've sacrificed enough. They have too much to lose."

She chuckled. "Adrien _and_ Marinette?"

He stopped himself, realized his mistake, and scoffed. "I have to go."

"Yeah you do."

"Then hang up." Gabriel snapped.

Her voice was cool, and sultry, "You haven't hung up either."

"I don't have a motive to."

Celine popped her lips, "Would you find me now, after everything that's happened, if you had the time?"

His eyes fell to his shoes, which had succumbed a film of dust while searching through boxes. "What would it change? I'd rather work on my relationship with my son, Celine."

"We could work, too."

A chill ran down his spine, and he breathed in. The offer was enticing, almost, but she was a siren, who could ultimately rip his heart out. "Don't play with me. You're just going to push me away."

Huffing, she responded, "Fine. Last thing before I go: When Marinette's returns, Fu says everyone around Paris, as well as all miraculous users, will feel it. It's going to be a huge magical blow."

She hung up.

* * *

"We should do lunch." Marinette grinned, her eyes landing on her two victims. The runway show was over. Celine and Gabriel were standing in the lobby with other student designers and models. Things were dying down.

Gabriel rolled his eyes, "Marinette—"

Celine smirked, and cut him off. "You're being a rude host, aren't you?"

He squared his jaw, and nodded, "Alright. Lunch." He glanced to the blonde, blinked rapidly, "Where would you like to go? Marinette isn't from here, so she wouldn't know a good place."

That's how they ended up in a quiet, German pub eating bratwurst.

Marinette glanced between Celine and Gabriel, and settled on the woman. "So, what are you doing after you're finished modelling at my cousin's school?"

Stiffening, the girl glanced over to Gabriel, "I have a cosmetic commercial coming up. Mascara, or maybe lipstick. I'm not sure. Then a small fashion house wants me to model some wedding dresses for their Spring Lookbook, which will probably end up in a few bridal magazines."

"I thought you were part-time." He pointed out, sipping a dark beer, and grimacing. The man was a religious drinker of wine, so it was no surprise that the German beer disgusted him, but made the lunch more tolerable. "You said this was a one-time thing."

Celine shrugged, "I still have school. I'm getting an education. If modelling doesn't pan out, I'll have that."

"So, full-time model?" Marinette quipped, her eyes sparkling at the thought. "Maybe you'll work with Gabriel in the future."

"If he can afford me." She answered deviously. "Unless your parents are backing you."

He shook his head, letting the comment roll of his back, but his smile was still slightly cold, "My mother refuses to acknowledge my current career path. I'm working from the ground up."

"Wow." Celine fawned over him sarcastically, "It's almost like we're the same, _except_ you have connections and resources as an Agreste that us plebeians don't! Ground up, you said?"

Marinette tried to diffuse the situation, "The important thing is that you're both trying to get your feet in the fashion industry, right?"

Neither of them responded, instead, Celine turned her back to them, staring at a television over the bar, where a reporter was broadcasting a live image of a huge bridge collapse across the Siene.

Gabriel was watching the screen intently as well, his fingers twitching.

Celine turned back to them, and smiled politely, removing her napkin from her lap. "I have to use the powder room. Please excuse me."

When she slipped into the bathroom, Gabriel whirled to Marinette, and spoke in a rushed tone that she had never heard before. "Stay here and finish lunch with her." He told her, "Cover for me. Tell her I've caught a stomach flu or something."

The girl pushed a dark strand of hair behind her ear, and nodded, knowing that it wouldn't be a problem. She nodded, and watched him fumble for his wallet, and left a gratuitous tip on the table of half-eaten food. She gripped the sides of the wooden chair that she sat on, knowing that she couldn't be there.

Celine returned to the table first, twenty minutes later, and sat down. Marinette had been waiting after all.

"Gabriel declared a champion." She told her, "The Seine isn't too deep. Almost no casualties. He should be back soon."

"He 'has the stomach flu'." Marinette answered, "I don't think he'll—"

Gabriel burst through the door or the bar, looking rather winded. He slid back into his seat, and drank the rest of his (now lukewarm) beer. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting." He glanced at Celine.

"Marinette said you were grabbing the latest issue of Vogue." She answered. "This month's edition came out today, didn't it?"

"…It did." Gabriel said slowly, glaring at Marinette.

Celine's pink lips curled into a smile, "Isn't Uma Thurman on the cover?"

"I…couldn't find a copy. I went five blocks down the street and every stand was sold out." He told her quickly, recovering slightly.

Luckily, for Gabriel Agreste, the woman he was lying to was also a superhero, and nodded, smiling along with his excuses before resuming the meal where they left off.

Of course, the man also didn't realize that Celine Russo was a superhero, and was happy to inform Marinette.

"I can't believe she bought that excuse." He told Marinette as they walked home. "She's an idiot."

Marinette exhaled, _fine, we'll play it this way._ "I don't know if that's a bad thing. My friends are all idiots…it helps with my cover."

* * *

"So that's the outline for the Guerrilla Lookbook." The man smiled, staring at Adrien cautiously. "At least, this is what your father and our team have discussed."

He smiled back at the man, who was twice his age and stocky. Adrien glanced down at the notes he had taken, and looked back up. "How do you expect this to work without one of the principal designer present? Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the core of this entire collection."

The man didn't blanch, as he was expecting the question. The team, six high-level employees and two interns, shifted. "Monsieur Agreste—

Adrien's eyes widened slightly. Never in his life did he want to be called 'Monsieur Agreste.' He looked over at Nathalie, who sat to his right. She wasn't smiling. Adrien glanced back to the presenter. _Just smile._

"—We understand that she _was_ the collection, but she's gone." He said in a rehearsed manner. "There are rumors about arranging national funeral for the girl."

"Sir," Another member, a young redheaded woman, leaned forward, "We understand the sensitivity of this issue, and we all miss her, but we have a plan that we've invested a lot into. This is the culmination of…of all the work she's done for this company, and her art. We're celebrating her life."

The entire room seemed to get colder. Outside, it had begun to rain.

He leaned back. His fingers curled around the armchair, and he stared at his ring, and the uncomfortable employees. Adrien exhaled, and stood, trying to remain calm, despite the rush of dark energy within him. "I know the investment you've all made. I also know that this Lookbook was put on hold when I went on my unexpected vacation. I apologize for the delay I caused."

Glancing around, he resumed, "However, I am of the opinion that Ms. Dupain-Cheng is returning to us very soon."

"Monsieur Agreste—"

Adrien's smile dropped into a frown, which silenced the presenter. The boy always kept up a positive attitude, and now, his stormy demeanor was almost as terrifying as his father. It effectively silenced the room.

Nathalie sighed, "Clearly, this project is going to be shelved until we have a definitive on whether or not Ms. Dupain-Cheng is alive or dead."

"As far as this company is concerned, Marinette Dupain-Cheng is alive and well." Adrien added, heading for the door. "Have a lovely lunch, everyone. Thank you."

Adrien and his assistant pro tempore retreated into her office. She shut the door behind him.

She glanced down at her tablet, tapping the screen fervently, "I can cancel the afternoon."

The boy took off his ring, and handed it to Plagg, who floated up in front of him. A glass of water appeared in Adrien's hand, which he sipped. "It's not necessary, Nathalie. Doesn't Father want to see me for lunch? Again?"

 _Control freak._

Pursing her lips, her fingers glanced down at the tablet, and Sancoeur let herself smile. "You have a lunch date at the Eiffel Tower."

He shed his suit jacket, a dark green number of his father's design. His eyes twinkled slightly, "That's a little out in the open for my father. Is the driver ready?"

* * *

"Everyone stick to the plan." Alya told them. "We're not here to squabble. We're here for Adrien."

 _Speaking of the blonde Adonis,_ Chloe's eyes fell to him. He looked incredibly sharp, and extremely surprised to see her, Nino, and Alya, standing on the grass outside of the tower, waiting for him.

"What are you all doing here?" He fiddled with that ring on his finger, before taking it off and slipping it into his pocket.

Chloe shot him a warm smile. "Your father called us, told us to come have lunch with you."

"Apparently, work sucks. Waiting around for Marinette to return sucks." Nino added, jokingly, "And he's busy at the moment, so we're filling in. This must all be very disappointing."

"No, no." He laughed, genuinely happy to see the three of them. "I'm glad you guys are here. It's been crazy."

Pretty soon, they were all in the restaurant. Chloe sat beside Adrien, and Nino was across from him, next to Alya.

Chloe and Adrien were more than used to awkward, quiet, and even stifling dinners. The girl picked up the gauntlet, "How's work so far?"

Adrien, being the polite boy that he was, smiled at her, "I just had a meeting where I had to tell all participants that Marinette is alive and well. Apparently, there's a project that my father and her started. They're publishing a book on the Guerilla collection and they want to go into the next phase without her."

"It's interesting how close they are. I for one, find it strange that of all the people your dad could possibly like, it's Marinette, a well-known firecracker." Alya commented, looking over at Nino. "Don't you think, Nino?"

The DJ took a sip of water, and grimaced, "I don't think much, I'm afraid."

Chloe perked up, and leaned closer to Alya, "I've always found Monsieur Agreste to be quite...odd. Have you noticed something strange?"

Alya inhaled, "We know that Marinette is alive and well. Chat Noir has said so, right?"

"Right." The blonde confirmed, her smile didn't crack.

"Where would Marinette be if she was alive and well, but wouldn't be able to come back to Paris?" She cocked an eyebrow to the blonde, " _Besides_ a spa day, of course."

Adrien exchanged a glance with Nino, who had told him that Chloe was warming up, gradually to her fellow classmates. She was still sharp, and cold, but most people could tolerate sharp and cold in the wake of a tragedy, couldn't they? And it's not as though Chloe was firing back at anyone who took shots at her, nowadays.

Chloe scoffed, allowing herself some level of bitchiness, "A snowglobe? Alya Césaire, you thought _I_ was Ladybug, what could you possibly think now?"

"I have it on good authority that Marinette time travelled." She answered. "And if she did, she would land somewhere in Paris either in the future or the past."

The food arrived, effectively interrupting Alya's train of thought as delicacies landed in front of the students.

The blonde socialite picked up the train quickly, "So what does this have to do with Gabriel?"

Nino rolled his eyes as he shoveled food into his mouth, "Who better than to mooch off of than an Agreste? Marinette would head straight for that huge house if she was stuck in Paris."

 _Thanks for being neutral for that one second, Nino, you're a real pal._

Adrien rolled his eyes, hoping to placate them, he told them. "First of all, Marinette wouldn't want to affect my future in any way, as I've said before. Secondly, I thought this was a lunch designed to distract me?" He chuckled slightly, cutting up a bit of steak.

"It could've been your father, Adrien. Marinette isn't an idiot. She wouldn't do anything that would blatantly effect you." Chloe glanced over to Alya, "Someone had to tell Chat Noir that she was fine. All we have to do is figure out who. Couldn't you send him an e-mail?"

She pointed her fork at the girl, laughing, " _Couldn't you?_ "

Leaning back, she crossed her arms, "Probably not, I've been barred from sending Ladybug any e-mails, and I never got Chat's handle."

"And _we're_ forbidden form getting involved in 'superhero shenanigans'." Adrien pointed out.

Nino brought Chloe up to speed in one sentence. "Monsieur Agreste issued a ban on all three of us."

The blonde shot them all a devious smile and thought, _I'm already taking everything that's yours, Marinette. First your friends, then Adrien. Easy._ "Well, he didn't ban me. Give me Chat's e-mail. I've met him a couple times."

Adrien glanced over to her, his mouth agape. "Chloe Bourgeois. This is dangerous stuff we're getting into. There's a sociopath with a miraculous and a bone to pick with Ladybug. If Yellow Jacket catches _any of us_ sniffing around, she could hurt us."

Nino nodded, agreeing, but the two girls were already conspiring. Alya was writing down Chat's private e-mail, and Chloe was running over a tactful letter with her. He glanced over to Adrien. "This weather, right?"

"It's a lot of overcast this year." He responded, "Christmas is coming up though."

"Does your father close down for the holiday?" Nino asked quietly, ignoring the fanatically theories that Chloe and Alya were rattling off.

He rolled his eyes at the two girls, and was almost glad that Marinette wasn't there two see Paris's two biggest fans of Ladybug interact on amicable terms. "The French stores close, which slows down business, but the international stores stay open. Father should be home for dinner, at least."

The boy nodded, "And he'll be back control-freaking over the company next Monday, right?"

"Yeah." Adrien confirmed, "I'd like to say I'd return to school, but…it's been difficult, Nino."

"I know." He replied, "Come back when you're ready, dude."

* * *

Chat Noir landed next to Hawkmoth, who stood on the Arc de Triomphe. The boy scratched behind his fake ear, and commented sarcastically, "I'm starting to think that you should've let everyone believe that Marinette was killed."

"Is this about lunch?" His father asked, "I figured they wouldn't bring it up with the Bourgeois girl present."

Crossing his arms, he glanced around the city. "It was brought up. Chloe may not like Marinette, but she adored Ladybug. She's more agreeable, since she found out, I guess. And she's been here for me since she left."

Hawkmoth nodded, and his hand ran through his platinum hair, which almost looked slightly purple. "As long as Alya doesn't publish her theories, everyone involved will be safe."

"We could always warn her."

"We _have_ warned her, as best we can." Gabriel snapped, walking across the roof of the monument. "To approach your friends now would be an admission that their theories have any weight."

Chat nodded, and shifted slightly, rotating on the tips of his feet. He soon grew bored of standing around. "So, is this what you do on patrol?"

Hawkmoth rolled his eyes, "I'm trying to sense Yellow Jacket's arrow, kid."

"Couldn't I do that?" His son asked. "Two heads are better than one."

"It takes years, and focus."

"I have focus, at least." Adrien stood, side by side with his father, "And you have to admit, I'm great at everything. You could teach me."

Gabriel sighed, and flew off the building, in a direction that was putting off a very weak signal. Chat was next to him again. "Chat Noir. It takes _years._ Peacock and I were able to do this because we weren't fighting a war."

He smirked in a very catlike manner, his tone entirely too playful for a conversation with his uptight father. "I'm sure I can pick it up quickly. Both my parents were magic aficionados."

Hawkmoth glared at him. "Were they?"

Chat mused for a moment, as though he were thinking of something important, before finally settling with a thoughtful, "Yes."

"You're an idiot."

He shot a devious smile to his elder, and replied in jest, "I guess the apple doesn't fall from the tree."

Gabriel's expression darkened, his mouth forming into a menacing line, and his anger radiated off of him. Adrien blanched.

"No! I mean—ah—my parents aren't idiots. I'm sorry!" Chat Noir dragged his hands through his hair, "I didn't—"

His father rolled his eyes, and smirked at his son. The joke was clear.

The black cat straightened up, "That wasn't funny, Father. You looked like you could kill me for a second."

* * *

"Monsieur Damocles." Chloe sat down across from the owl-like man, smiling politely.

Her principal twiddles his thumbs, and passed her several papers. Photocopies of several tests she had taken over the past few weeks. "It's come to my attention that your test scores have improved significantly."

Scanning over the papers, she smiled at the near perfect math and science scores. French and history needed some work, obviously, but they were coming up too. She glanced back at Damocles, and tried not to cringe over his unseemly eyebrows. "Yes, they have. Is there a problem?"

"It's just…" His gruff voice trailed off, before picking up again with renewed passion. "You've always gotten good marks on homework, and sub-par classwork and test grades, so it's a little out of the blue that you're suddenly doing so well in class."

Chloe leaned back in her chair, and allowed herself to sink into the cushion. Innocently, she inquired, "I don't understand. Am I in trouble?"

Mr. Damocles' eyes widened, "Let me be clear. I _am not_ accusing you of cheating, Ms. Bourgeois." His large fingers padded over a sheet of paper on his desk, a copy of the school's honor code policy. "I _am_ however, going to remind you of the consequences you could face if you were caught violating our code of conduct."

"Of course." Chloe answered, resigning herself to lecture she had heard since her early years in grade school. The girl always cheated in the past, but hard work had grown a soft spot in her heart. "I can always take a pop quiz right now, if you'd like. Any subject."

Letting out a sigh, he glanced to her files, before letting it all go. "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you, Ms. Bourgeois. You may go."

Sabrina waited for her outside of the office. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah." She turned to the girl, who cringed away from her gaze. "I have a meeting with Gabriel Agreste. You'll be fine on your own, right?"

The redhead nodded, "Are you sure you're alright?"

Chloe nodded, "Why wouldn't I be? I've never been better."

"You've just been acting really weird, no offense!" her voice dropped.

Staring at her best friend, she pressed her lips together, spreading around the lip gloss they were coated in. "I'm not acting weird."

"Are you sure you don't need help on the science project? I—I don't mind."

"I can handle it." She responded, heading towards the door. School was out, after all, and her driver was waiting.

Pushing through the front door, she ran into Nathalie, who lead her to Gabriel's office. "Just head straight in." The woman told her in a bored fashion, "They've been waiting for you."

Chloe nodded, smiling widely, expecting it to be a meeting between her, Adrien, and his father.

Alya and Nino turned as she opened the door, and her eyes fell to Gabriel who stood in front of the mantle. The blonde Princess of Paris frowned. _How many terrible meetings will I have to have today? Let's see, manicure at 5, fitness barre at 7..._

Gabriel tried to muster a polite smile for the girl, but she saw through it. The man had never liked her, and clearly wasn't about to start. "Chloe, thank you for joining us."

"It took you long enough." Alya muttered.

Nino, who looked incredibly stiff (and even removed his cap), brushed his girlfriend's forearm. "So, let's start. What is this all about, Monsieur Agreste?"

He smiled, and they all sat around the coffee table. "As you all know, Adrien has been leading my company in my absence."

Glancing up and down the Agreste, Chloe finally made note of his outfit. Although his hair was still perfectly styled, he wore loose-fitted gray trousers, and a tucked in green dress shirt, rolled up to his elbows, and brown oxfords with dark green argyle socks. It was incredibly casual for Gabriel.

"Shouldn't Adrien be in school?" Alya crossed her arms, glaring at the man.

The man smirked, and looked at the girl. _Wait,_ Chloe realized, _does he like Alya fucking Césaire, too?_ She was soon learning that the man liked anyone who could adequately stand up to him.

"In theory, however, I did not invite you all into my home to discuss that." He sparkled. "Adrien isn't doing well, in light of recent events, in case you all couldn't tell."

Nino shrugged, "No one's doing well, sir."

"I know." Gabriel bristled, before carefully stating with sincerity, "It's been difficult for all of us."

 _Is that man admitting to grief over Marinette Dupain-fucking-Cheng?_ It was so quick a phrase, that Chloe had to stop and think about it for longer than a second or so. Adrien's father was a man with thick walls around him at all times. Even a phrase that subtle was a lot for him.

She wondered of the man slipped up on purpose, if he wanted the children to know that he sincerely missed her as well, or if it was just another act. Gabriel could tactically show emotions when it worked to his advantage. The girl didn't hold that against him, because she was doing the same thing to Adrien, and her classmates.

Monsieur Agreste glanced over to Chloe for a second, and lingered. Then his eyes fell to a portrait of Adrien on the mantle. "I…I need you three to be there for my son. I'm doing what I can, but he's shutting me out. He's been very busy, but I have carved out his lunches. Tomorrow is free for him."

"You could just let someone else take care of your company, sir." Nino told him, in the politest tone he could manage to the man who caused him to get akumatized. "That way Adrien could come back to school and not be so alone."

Gabriel leaned back, "It's only temporary. I'll be back to work on Monday, and my son will work on getting caught up. He's trying incredibly hard to keep himself busy."

"Sounds like someone we know." Alya quipped, her dark humor permeating the air.

Chloe smiled, "We'll take him out to lunch, Monsieur Agreste. It'll be a surprise."

He nodded, happy that someone in the room had common sense. "Thank you all. I'll have Nathalie call and discuss lunch arrangements in the morning." Gabriel dismissed them, standing up and retreating towards his desk. "I'll alert my driver to take you all home."

"There's no need, Monsieur Agreste." The blonde told him, "My driver is already waiting. Alya and Nino can catch a ride with me."

She turns towards the two, who exchange a nervous glance. Nino's hand is on his girlfriend's shoulder, and he smiles, "Of course. Thank you so much."


	19. Chapter 19

Marinette stared daggers into the tray of breakfast food Gabriel held, and promptly pulled her covers further over her head, so that only a crown of blue hair was left.

The man groaned, "Hiding won't change the facts at hand, Marinette. You're acting like a child." Gabriel set down the tray on the nightstand.

"I _am_ a child." She answered, "And you're only four years older than me. You're hardly an adult."

"I miss Christmas with my parents all the time. It's not the end of the world."

"You have no concept of Christmas, Gabriel Agreste." She growled definitively, "And this was going to be my first Christmas with Chat Noir, so it might as well be the end of the world."

"Maybe your boyfriend should work a little harder on getting you home, then." He chuckled. "Come on. I have embroidery for you."

Right. Gabriel's last semester was over, and the man decided to spend his month-long holiday constructing a winter collection. He had enlisted her help, mostly when he was off doing superhero duties, or when something needed finishing touches.

Feeling defeated, she got out of bed, and snatched piece of toast from the tray. "How was patrol?" She asked, munching the bread and heading out the door.

"It went well." He replied. "Crime always slows down a bit around the holiday."

Marinette froze, halfway down the stairs in the main foyer. Gabriel passed her, and put on a warm smile. "Madame Peacock, I didn't expect you."

She stood in the center of the room, looking extremely unimpressed, but she held a medium-sized box. Marinette finally got herself moving again, striding down the stairs to meet her. Her eyes fell to Gabriel.

"Did you think I would pass up Christmas?" She told him, "I know it's not for another week, but I did get a gift for you."

Her former partner took the gift, and Madame Peacock hopped over to Marinette, waiting politely.

Gabriel smirked at her, "I'm surprised that you're even giving me a gift."

"If only to get whatever gift you've planned for me." Celine responded, rolling her eyes. "Please open it, I _did_ think of you."

He was significantly unimpressed by her statement. "You're Christmas gifts so far have included a stuffed peacock toy, hair gel, and a jar of glitter, Madame Peacock."

Marinette stifled a snicker, and the girl glared at her before saying, "I actually thought of you, Gabriel."

Raising his eyebrows, he slowly unwrapped the small box. Gabriel was the kind of man who didn't rip wrapping paper, but simply peeled off the tape, unfolding the green paper to reveal a shoebox.

Opening the box, he stared at the contents, and looked up at her. "Did you really?"

"I did. Even the sewing pins are monogrammed." She confirmed, "G-A, for Gabriel-fucking-Agreste." Peacock looked around the room, smirking at him. "I'm still mad at you though, so I hope your gift outdoes mine."

His smile was wider than Marinette had ever seen it.

* * *

Chat Noir sat idly on the Eiffel Tower, when Hawkmoth landed one rafter above him, brandishing a letter, which the boy hadn't noticed. "Shouldn't you be looking?"

"I should." He agreed, swatting his son lightly with the letter. "But I have something for you."

The black cat looked up, "A letter?"

"Marinette left this with me to give to you at Christmas." Hawkmoth admitting, holding it above the boy's head. "Of course, I—"

An arrow pierced the letter, flying straight and true, taking it out of the man's hands and landing across the tower.

Suddenly, Yellow Jacket held the letter, examining it carefully as she stood on the arrow she had just slew. "Isn't this interesting? So it was you she found, Hawkmoth."

Chat Noir spun around, and Hawkmoth dropped down next to him, holding him back by the shoulders. He gave the girl a curt smile. "Gabriel Agreste and I, of course."

The girl rolled her eyes, tearing open the letter. "Well, I hope for your sake neither of your real names are written down."

"They're not." Hawkmoth answered confidently.

The boy bared his teeth hissing, "Where's the arrow, Yellow Jacket?"

She scanned the letter and its contents. "Interesting. She did give you two a decent hint about who I might be, I will say." Yellow Jacket grimaced, "Shame, I was going to give the letter back, but I guess not."

Hawkmoth glared daggers into her, but he held the boy back, who was practically foaming at the mouth. "Stop digging yourself in deeper. We can stop this. We can be above this." He told the girl, "You're still just a kid, you have all the time in the world to redeem yourself."

Smirking, the arrow disappeared under her, and she held the letter close to her chest. Yellow Jacket's voice regal, and warm, "Hey, if Chat Noir and Ladybug can forgive you, they'll forgive me."

"You don't _know_ me!" The boy hissed at her, stopping both villains in their tracks, "I will _never_ forgive you for this! I don't care if Ladybug forgives you—I don't care if Hawkmoth forgives you, and I don't care who you are under your mask!" His eyes were feral, glowing even.

If the Parisian night could get any darker, it certainly did. It got colder. Hawkmoth shot a glance to his son and sucked in a breath. "Pull yourself together. You're going to lose your cool."

Yellow Jacket shot the boy a cold smile as he breathed heavily in his black suit. "How odd. You're nothing like Adrien Agreste."

Freezing in his spot, Chat Noir recovered quickly, at a speed that even his father was proud of. "What does he have to do with me?"

"Marinette loves you both, and you both love her." She replied, sounding slightly bitter. "I mean to say that you two are completely different. It's…funny."

The boy scoffed at her, "That's all you have to say?"

Hawkmoth frowned, and stood between Yellow Jacket and the boy, "That's enough." He glared at the girl, "You have what you want, Yellow Jacket, don't you? Why are you here?"

She frowned, "You have the ability to find the arrow, Hawkmoth." She landed on the beam behind her, and leaned against it.

"Who gave you that idea?"

"Gabriel Agreste."

Chat Noir took a step back from his father, who cocked his head to the side. "You've been listening to Gabriel Agreste, haven't you?" Hawkmoth murmured to her. "You think he knows what he's talking about?"

Yellow Jacket huffed, "He didn't have a reason to lie."

"Are you kidding me? _He didn't have a reason to lie!_ " Hawkmoth raised his voice slightly, mocking her, "Or are you an idiot?"

"Hawkmoth…" Chat murmured. _Crap, crap, crap._

He scowled, and flew off the rafter, closer to the girl, his voice slightly above a yell. "Gabriel Agreste's priority is protecting his _family,_ Yellow Jacket. Marinette? You sent her back to 1994, to his house! You made her a part of his family."

The boy's ears perked up, and the yellow and black villain stared straight at Hawkmoth, not budging.

"That girl weaseled her way into Adrien Agreste's heart, girl." He scowled at Yellow Jacket. "Gabriel Agreste will protect Adrien for the rest of his life. And now, he's going to protect Ladybug as well."

"That doesn't mean anything." The blonde girl replied. "Most people would protect that girl."

"Most people aren't Gabriel Agreste." Hawkmoth answered her, "He cares about that girl now, you put that in motion. He's not going to be honest with you, he's not going to lead you in the right direction, he's going to send you into a tailspin. You're an idiot if you believe a word out of his mouth."

Yellow Jacket shrugged, "Fine. You convinced me. I'll leave him alone, and the fact that his wife's pictures were in the apartment of the man who I stole my miraculous from. I'll leave it all alone, Hawkmoth."

She flew up slightly, "But, if I catch you sniffing around, if I catch either of you sticking your noses where it doesn't belong, it won't just be Marinette who disappeared into time and space. It'll be both of you."

"Fine."

Hawkmoth only glanced over to an incredibly stunned Chat Noir after Yellow Jacket flew off, out of site.

Chat Noir looked down, "You didn't mean that, did you? You…you just said those things to keep her off your trail."

He looked over to his father, who had shut his eyes, and sucked in a sharp breath. His hands were trapped in the pockets of his purple trousers.

His father had meant every word.

 _Oh._

"Father—" He started to plead.

Holding up a hand, Hawkmoth looked back at the boy, "I know what you think of me. Don't worry about it."

* * *

Chloe opened the door the next day, wearing an obnoxious Christmas hat.

He frowned, "I'm sorry I'm late. Did I miss the interview?"

Adrien entered her suite, which was appropriately decorated, with garlands, tinsel, and three or four small trees.

"I recorded it." She answered, flopping onto the couch, in front of the flat screen above the mantle. In front of her was a coffee table covered in junk food. "I also got a bunch of cheat foods."

"It's not like I'm doing much modelling anymore. Every day is cheat day."

She popped a Cheeto as he sat down next to her. "Lucky you, considering that you still look like a supermodel."

Chuckling, the thumb of his right hand went instinctively to his ring finger, and he remembered that the ring was in his jacket, which he had shed when he entered the suite. "So, let's watch this interview, and then a few movies?" His voice was soft, because he already knew the answer, and it was late.

 _Chloe doesn't like video games,_ Adrien thought, _Marinette would—_

 _Stop._

Nodding, she picked up the remote, and pressed the play button, which stopped hovering over Alya's face

 _"So, we're here with Chat Noir."_

 _The screen cut to Chat Noir, who looked incredibly matte under the lights. Powder was doing wonders for the boy._

Chloe couldn't suppress a slight smile, "What do you think of his man bun?"

"it's a little trendy for my tastes." He replied, not thinking about the hair appointment that Nathalie had scheduled after a twenty-minute lecture from his father. "But he pulls it off, I guess."

 _"Thank you for having me." Chat replied coolly as the screen cut to the two of them, sitting across from each other on modest armchairs._

 _Alya was dressed as a reporter should be, in a skirt, killer heels, and a jacket. They were in a warehouse that the new station picked out. She smiled back at him, "Oh, the pleasure is all mine. I know you've been on the interview circuit lately, and I'm really happy that you stopped by here."_

 _"Of course." He answered, "There haven't been any akuma attacks, so I have a lot more time to interact with the press and the citizens of Paris."_

 _"Right." She looked down briefly, and looked back up, her golden eyes ablaze._

"Here comes the Alya fire." Adrien commented, taking a brownie off a plate. "I don't think Chat Noir stands a chance."

Chloe nodded, "She makes Hawkmoth look like a fluffy puppy."

 _The reporter tried her best to dial back the bite in her tongue. "So, there haven't been akuma attacks. Would you say your friendship with Hawkmoth is as solidified as Ladybug's friendship with him?"_

 _Balking, Chat Noir recovered, and responded, "It's not…It's not an easy partnership to be in. Being a superhero, a majority of the time, means forgiving those who have hurt you, who have hurt others. I've always been up to that task, and even without Ladybug here, I still am."_

 _"So you've forgiven the-one-and-only Hawkmoth? You've forgiven him?" She tilted her head to the side, confused, and slightly angry._

 _"Well—yes." He replied. "The damage he dealt was always fixable at the end of the day, and if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here."_

 _She smiled, "And Marinette wouldn't be gone."_

 _Chat Noir blinked, and pretended to not here her. "I beg your pardon?" He looked so much like a model, a statue of perfection._

 _It was too much._

Adrien's hand was over his mouth, stifling laughter, "That was so forced!"

Chloe glanced over to him, and felt her heart melting. "It wasn't smooth. I hope he's not an actor or something."

 _Alya went for the jugular. "If it weren't for Hawkmoth's original actions, Marinette Dupain-Cheng would still be here."_

You could actually see the hero of destruction dig his nails into the armchair gently.

 _"If it weren't for Yellow Jacket." Chat Noir held up the hand that had dug into the upholstery, correcting the girl. "We could sit here and trace it back to as many singular events as you would like, Ms. Césaire, but that would get us nowhere."_

"Good for him." She picked up a glass of water and toasted to the screen. The girl snuck a glance over to Adrien, and she scooted over slightly. He seemed upset, hardly watching the interview as he peeled a clementine. The girl rested her head on his shoulder, and sighed. "Are you alright?"

Adrien paused, and she could feel his warm smile. "I'm alright, Chloe. It's just been a long time. I miss her."

"I miss her too." She responded slowly, blinking into his soft button-down.

"The love triangle is stupid." He told her, when the interview turned to the topic of Ladybug's love life, "I wish Alya wouldn't ask about it, but her producers are overbearing."

She said nothing.

He rolled his eyes, "What? Chloe Bourgeois doesn't have an opinion on something? Stop the presses, girl."

 _Go in for the kill,_ the girl thought. "It's not that you're a bad guy, but you don't take the risks that she does, you know? She's a superhero, and it wouldn't be fair for you to wait around wondering whether or not she was okay."

"I know." He stated. Still, he was slightly airy, and Chloe's words penetrated him, but only amused him.

"Chat Noir takes the same risks, and they're relationship would have a more equal footing, don't you think?" She got up, off of him, and faced him, staring into his blue eyes, genuinely telling him, "I truly think you deserve someone who could be honest about what they do every day."

Adrien raised his eyebrows, genuinely shocked. "Thank you for saying so."

* * *

Marinette sat in Gabriel's library, staring at the two idiots, who were bartering.

"No, Celine." He told her, "Modelling my debut collection does not entitle you to the clothes."

Her eyes drove stakes through him, "So what, are you offering to pay me with actual money?"

His skin rippled, "At this time, I can't compensate you with—"

"I want the clothes." She cut him off. "If you can pay the photographer, makeup artist, and whatever job you're putting your cousin up to, you can pay me."

Gabriel frowned, "Unfortunately, I only have so much money on me. I'm sure I can offer you something else."

 _Oh god, he really needs to work on his phrasing,_ Marinette thought, watching in horror as the model's eyebrows quirked up, and her eyes fall to the desk demurely. Celine's smile cocked to the side slightly, and she looked back up at Gabriel Agreste. Her entire body language shifted.

Okay, the man absolutely tremored. In his defense, she had gotten her doctorate in her facial expressions, her body language, and the effect she had on men. That was the job of a model, and she was ensnaring him, not unlike—

 _Not unlike a siren,_ Marinette realized, her face paling in horror.

"I do have _one_ thing." She told him pointedly.

He leaned back, staring at her from across the table. "What?"

She held up a finger. "One dinner date."

"No."

Marinette shot up, straightened her back, and smiled, and turned to the girl. Because she often used the 'I'm Gabriel's cousin' to her advantage. "My cousin would be honored to go on a date with you, if that's what it takes to get a free model."

Celine smirked, and looked back towards the man who's face had tinged pink. "See? Marinette thinks it's a great idea. I just want a nice, expensive meal. Don't overcomplicate it."

The man stood, and spoke mechanically, "Believe it or not, Celine Russo, I don't _like_ you. I find you to be incredibly dense, and I'm asking you to model for me because I designed it with your frame in mind. I don't want to spend more time with you then I have to."

The woman rolled her eyes, and licked her lips, before standing and exiting the library, "The offer still stands, Gabriel. You have my number."

When the door closed behind her, his hand dragged across his face, groaning to her, "You know, as my temporary assistant, you really should have my back on this one."

Her eyes shot to him, who looked rather flustered, "Clearly you want to go on this date."

"No, I don't." He said, with weakening fortitude.

"You're blushing." She pointed out. "You like her. She likes you, clearly."

His pallor had returned slightly, and he recovered, "I love Madame Peacock. That's a complication." He swallowed, "Instead of trying to set me up with that model, why don't you set me up with her?"

Gabriel quickly left her in the library, clearly irritated.

"Tikki."

The red kwami looked up from her book, an Agatha Christie novel, and smiled, "Yes, Marinette?"

"Was I that stupid?" She looked at the tiny god, "Is there some sort of magic that prevents him from seeing that it's _her?_ "

Tikki thought for a moment, and floated towards the end of the table, looking between the spots where Gabriel and Celine had sat. "I _suppose_ it could be some sort of magic preventing him from seeing through her, but he's sharp as a tack." The goddess clucked, "Plagg deliberately avoided Nooroo around the mansion for an entire year so that Gabriel would suspect anything of his kwami started acting oddly."

Marinette was still lost, and looked up at the ceiling, which was painted as though it were the Sistine Chapel. The sooner that man would redecorate, the better. "I don't get what you mean."

"Simply put: Gabriel Agreste isn't letting himself figure out her identity." She replied thoughtfully. "He probably thinks she'll be really upset if he finds out. It'll happen in time. She'll either reveal herself or some outside circumstance will force his hand to see the truth. Don't worry about it too much."

* * *

The way his hand fell to the small of her waist was too good to be true. In the Louboutin's she wore, they were the same height, so there was no need to look up into Adrien Agreste's eyes. Chloe Bourgeois only had to look ahead.

She chuckled as the string quartet continued as he spun her out. The New Year's party her father had thrown was truly a success.

"Do you remember when your parents taught us?" She asked him, practically tuning out the waltz that played over their heads. They knew the tempo, they knew the steps. Chloe and Adrien were arguably the best dancers in the room.

Adrien's eyes sparkled. The black suit contrasted his green eyes gorgeously. The black-tie affair really _suited_ him, to say the least. "My mother heard that your mother was going to pay someone several hundred euros to teach you ballroom and protested."

He looked away, searching for his father in the crowd outside the already crowded dance floor, but he was nowhere to be found. Now, he wondered if Yellow Jacket would see him, dancing with a lifelong friend who _'is clearly enamored with you, Adrien, do be polite'._ Gabriel said that he would be arriving late, and Adrien was thankful for Chloe's presence. If he wasn't there to keep his son's darkness in check, Chloe stood as a qualified substitute.

Chloe hummed contently, "It was funny how your mother sweated bullets over a few hundred euros."

His eyes flashed back to her's, and he studied her face carefully.

She didn't let it show, but sudden fear overtook her. _I've said too much!_

"My father might've had the mansion, but he didn't have his mother's money." Adrien told her quietly, "My grandmother loathed that he was going into fashion, so she wasn't a patron. He did make his fortune ultimately, but until that happened my mother was very conscious of the money she and him spent."

She stumbled a step, and he laughed gently, counting under his breath so that she could recover gracefully. "I didn't know." Chloe told her dance partner.

Adrien gave her a crooked grin as the music concluded, "That's why people accused her of coming from a poorer background."

They were on the top floor of the Grand Hotel, so Chloe led him out of the giant hall and onto the patio, her heels clicking the cement around the covered pool. Her blue dress glittered against the moonlight. She held him by the hand as they neared the balustrade that overlooked the skyline.

He didn't protest her, or argue about getting back to the party. In fact, he seemed more than content to get away from the social function, and he was warming up to her slowly as the weeks dragged on without that girl in the picture.

The view took her breath away, and her fingers curled over leftover snow on the railing. Before the girl began to shiver, she felt his jacket drape over her bare shoulders. "Adrien—you'll catch a cold!" Still, she took the jacket, shrugging her arms into the meticulously-tailored sleeves.

"It's alright." He promised her, "I have on more layers than you do, I promise."

Her hands, which had gripped the melting snow on the railing, withdrew. Chloe leaned her head on his arm, and he moved, so that his hand was on her opposite shoulder, pulling her closer to him. Her nose had begun to feel ticklish, and the back of her throat was dry.

"I'm sorry." Adrien told her, whispering, "Please, don't cry, Chloe."

Protesting, she pressed her fingers to her the lower lashes on her left eye, preventing any smudging. "I'm not crying." She laughed slightly, looking up towards his face. "I love you.'

The boy looked incredibly pained by her words, but didn't move away from her. Adrien wasn't that callous. "I know. I love you too." He replied eventually, his thumb tracing circles into her shoulder, though the intonation was clear. "You may not know it, but you're a part of my family."

Her smile dropped for a moment, before beaming up at him.

Marinette was still his family, too.


	20. Chapter 20

Adrien's eyes fell to the social section of the newspaper in front of him, and his blood ran cold.

"Isn't this great?" Chloe beamed at him over lunch. "Your image is finally turning back towards the better!"

"My image?" He raised his eyebrows, "We're not dating."

The blonde rolled her eyes at him, "I know that, _obviously,_ but if Paris thinks we're dating, they won't see you as one of Marinette's playthings anymore."

Pictures of Adrien and Chloe dancing scattered the page, as well as a gorgeous silhouette of them leaning on each other against the balcony of her father's hotel. According to the paper, it was all 'very romantic.' According to several inside sources, it's 'so nice that Adrien is finally moving on from this tragedy.'

His eyes flashed down to his appetizer, a small grape and cheese plate. Chloe was too busy getting lost in his eyes to notice his hands sneaking cheese down to Plagg. Things had suddenly clicked into place, like how much time he had spent with the socialite, and how the socialite probably had pre-conceived notions of their friendship.

Everything in the crowded restaurant was too loud, the large windows brought into much light that hurt his eyes, and the food was overpowering his nostrils. He knew that he only had so much time before everything was suddenly overwhelming.

Standing up, he buttoned his suit jacket and gave the girl a short smile. "I'm not, nor have I ever been, one of Marinette Dupain-Cheng's playthings. I love her. If you want to entertain Paris into thinking that we're dating, I don't see a point in continuing this lunch. Have a lovely afternoon, Chloe."

Chloe didn't shout after him, as the pained Adrien Agreste stormed out of the restaurant. It wasn't kind of him to be so frank with her, and he regretted his words, but he could only entertain the girl's fantasy for so long.

At this point, he should've taken off his miraculous before the darkness he felt swelling up inside him grew even further.

Ducking into an alley, Adrien leaned against the cement wall, breathing heavily. Plagg flew out of his pocket. "You want to, I don't know, pull yourself together?"

"I need to find the arrow, Plagg." He told the kwami, through gritted teeth. Everything within him was on fire.

The black cat cocked his head to the side. "I don't—I can't teach you that."

Adrien huffed, "You want to know what I think?"

"No."

"I think that I enrolled myself into Ladybug's school. I think that I ended up in Ladybug's class. I think that Ladybug sat behind me in that class every day for a year." Adrien told the kwami. "I think Ladybug won every one of my father's competitions for a year, and landed an internship at his company. You want to know what I think, Plagg?"

Plagg frowned, his eyes drawn back, "No."

The boy allowed himself to smirk. "I think that Marinette and I were _made for eachother._ I think that fate always brings us back together. I think I can find the arrow, with or without you or my father's help."

Adrien was sinister. "Plagg, transform me!"

* * *

Gabriel could give credit where credit was due. He had heard from Nathalie, and from the Ladyblog, that Chat Noir was running rampant through the streets like a feral stray. Of course, Gabriel Agreste was in meetings all day, and Yellow Jacket hadn't made any appearances yet.

His son had kept himself together for almost three months. That was something.

The boy wasn't doing anything besides skulking around either and reminding everyone that he was still in Paris. There were no akuma attacks, and no arrows had been fired around the city. No destruction so far.

Still, the billionaire didn't think his son was an idiot when it came to superhero business? Was Chat Noir not listening when that sociopathic wasp told them not to sniff around? It frustrated the man to think that his son was being so reckless.

He gritted his teeth through an entire meeting, and when he was finally out of it, he dialed his wife's number. He'd prefer not to talk to Celine on the top floor of his office, where multiple employees could hear him, but some things couldn't wait. Nathalie stood beside him, staring daggers into anyone who dared to approach him.

"Get. Our. Son." Gabriel told her.

"Are you foaming at the mouth Gabriel?" She is calm, she is collected, she's every bit as cool as he wished he could be at that moment. "I'll…I'll see what I can do. He's moving at a mile a minute, though."

His eyes flashed down to Nathalie's tablet, which showed a live feed of Chat Noir running across the city. "What direction is he heading in?"

"Our office." Nathalie replied.

Gabriel spoke to Celine, "He's headed to the Agreste headquarters, Celine. I need you on this."

There was a sudden crashing sound of glass, and the man rolled his eyes.

"Something tells me he's already there, Gabe."

He hung up on her, and turned to the smirking boy, who spotted him. "Monsieur Agreste. Just the man I wanted to see! And Nathalie! Hello!"

Nathalie shot her boss a very annoyed look, that could be roughly translated to _'I told you not to involve me in this, you squirrely jackass.'_

Ignoring her, and his rather shocked staff, he strode towards the superhero, clasping a hand on his back and pushing him towards his office. Gabriel smiled, hoping that those who spotted him didn't catch his paternalistic anger.

His son was far gone, and when they reached the office, the boy stiffened, clarity suddenly hitting him. "Father?"

Sighing, Gabriel gestured for the boy to sit, "Give me your ring Adrien." Chat Noir probably didn't remember much of the afternoon so far. It would surprise the man if his son slipped back into darkness during their discussion.

"I—I can't." He replied, "I have to find her."

He frowned, and flicked his son's cat ear with his pointer finger, "I know. We have to be level-headed about this. You're falling apart at the seams, Chat Noir."

The boy glared up at him, "Are you even trying? Do you even care?" His anger had spilled over the edge, "You haven't done anything, have you?"

Gabriel looked away, and swallowed several emotions. "Adrien, don't say anything you'll regret."

 _He is not himself. You can't hold him accountable at the moment._

The black cat stood, and swallowed, "What do I do? If I _actually_ find the arrow?"

"Go to the spot where she disappeared. She'll reappear there. Don't touch the tip of the arrow, or you will also get sent back in time." He told him, defeated. "Chances are, Yellow Jacket is a student, she's probably going to be in classes. You have time, but you're cutting it close."

Adrien frowned, "Do you think I can do it?"

The man smirked at his son, taking in the sight of him in a black leather suit. It was very inspiring for next year's winter collection. "You excel at everything you do, Chat Noir, in and out of the suit. I have total faith in you, and your bond to the Ladybug miraculous should guide you far enough."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "And send my only son into danger? When you're a parent, you'll understand. Go. Don't break any more windows."

Staring at his father, he inhaled, "Are you sure?"

He paused, and his eyes bore into the soul of the boy, "Don't ask me if I'm sure, Adrien. This is hard enough."

Chat Noir pressed his lips together, "Dad…"

Gabriel held up a hand, stopping the boy in his tracks. " _Go."_

So, Chat Noir left, exiting out the window he had broken to get in. His father went to his next appointment. If there could only be one thing in common between the two Agreste men, it would be that neither of them wasted time when it comes to the things or people they loved.

* * *

Across the city, in a classroom, Chloe Bourgeois fumed. _Shouldn't Chat Noir be in school?_ The entire class was abuzz with it. The lunch break had already passed, so the blonde was stuck in class, with Vennum occasionally whispering that it wouldn't do for her to ditch class right as Yellow Jacket makes an appearance.

Alya was also seething. The blonde didn't have to look across the aisle (Nino and Alya sat next to each other nowadays) to see that the journalist was itching to leave, periodically checking the messages and updates on the forum of the Ladyblog. Nino was trying to console the girl, murmuring to her while Bustier was teaching.

Chloe figured that Césaire would crack.

"Madame Bustier?" Alya called while the woman's back was turned. "I'm not feeling well, may I be excused for the afternoon?"

The redhead teacher narrowed her eyes, and pulled her smartphone out of a drawer in her desk. "According to your blog, Chat Noir is running around Paris."

"Yes, but—"

"Which means three things, Alya." Bustier smirked, "One, that you are using your phone in class, which is a violation of school policy. Two, Chat Noir is running around Paris, which means that there could be an akuma, or Yellow Jacket is out. Which leads me to point three, it would be irresponsible of me to let you leave the building until class officially ends, when I am no longer legally responsible for your well-being."

Alya slumped back, crossing her arms. Her face was red with irritation and blush. "Point taken, Madame Bustier."

The woman smirked at the girl, and turned back towards the class, who were all chuckling at various volumes. "Anyway, back to the lesson, everyone."

Chloe smirked. She knew exactly where the arrow was, and she had been checking her phone for updates on the hero's location. Chat was nowhere near it, so far. The idiot was running around the skyline of Paris, as though he'd find it on a rooftop.

Still, there was no adequate way for her to get out of class and _actually_ stop the leather-clad idiot. Madame Bustier wasn't letting anyone out of her site with Chat Noir on the loose, breaking into buildings, invading homes, searching block-by-block. According to the Ladyblog forum, Chat Noir was combative, angry, and on the prowl for anyone suspicious. The kid had busted three pickpockets alone in the past ten minutes during the search.

Apparently, her father had released a statement, saying that Paris's hero would be arrested if he didn't 'cut it out' within the next half-hour.

A half hour later, Chat Noir promptly cataclysmed multiple police cars, had a moment of distinct regret, made several corny apologies, and resumed his hunt for the arrow. The boy was really causing thousands of euro's worth of damage throughout the entire city in his search. Ladyblog viewers were beginning to suspect that a new villain was slowly on the rise, in the form of this kitty cat primadonna.

Five minutes after the police car incident, the chief of police firmy requested that citizens avoid the streets if possible.

 _This is getting interesting,_ Chloe thought, looking out the window of her class. Cars were disappearing, people were scattering. _If he finds the arrow, he's really setting us up for an epic fight. No cars, no civilians…_ the thought was enticing. She considered fighting him regardless. Still—

 _Hawkmoth hasn't shown up yet._ The thought chilled her slightly. Maybe it was that man's age, but he had clearly taken charge of Chat Noir, holding him back, keeping his weakening mood in check. If Hawkmoth had Chat Noir wrapped around his (gloved) finger, then Chloe would have to fight him as well. The man had supposedly gotten one miraculous at one point, there was no reason why he couldn't take Chloe's, if given the chance.

She could take two superheroes, and a champion. Her speed outmatched all of them. While Chat Noir was skulking around on patrols, and while Hawkmoth was babysitting the kitten, Chloe had been practicing almost every night.

* * *

"In Adrien's defense, he probably doesn't remember destroying the police cars." Celine told Gabriel, on the fifth phone call they had had during that afternoon alone. "Cut him some slack."

"Cut him some slack? _Cut him some slack?!"_ Okay, now Gabriel Agreste was foaming at the mouth. "I let him run off to attend public school, he runs into Master Fu, and becomes Chat Noir! I'm fairly certain the city is about to send out animal control with horse tranquilizers, Celine. Does this not concern you?"

She exhaled, and admitted that she wasn't concerned. "He's not wasting time, I will say. If you've been mapping his warpath, he's cleared through about a third of the city in under two hours."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, and typed in the website to Alya Césaire's blog, and felt his blood run cold. "Well, hopefully he'll find the arrow before he gets to the mansion."

"Hmm. Doubtful." Celine chirped, "And he hates it there. He's probably going to level your house. Do you think he could destroy an entire building?"

The man closed his eyes, and leaned back, already envisioning a design for the mansion while boiling with rage. "I'm going to ground him when this is all over." He promised her, "Seriously. Might-send-him-to-military-school-serious."

Chuckling, she replied, "He would graduate top of his class. Combat. Strategy. Leadership skills. You'd really set him up for huge success outside the fashion industry."

"…I know." Gabriel replied. "The only advantage he has is that our villain probably attends school, and therefore won't get out of class for another hour or so."

Celine smiled, "I know. The good news is that Nathalie will probably clear your schedule. Fake sick."

"Ah, hmm. About that." He hadn't mentioned yet that there was one civilian who knew the identities of all four active superheroes in Paris.

"What?"

His eyes shot towards the door to his office, which lead to Nathalie's office, where he could hear her loudly typing. "She found out that I'm Hawkmoth. She knows Adrien is Chat Noir. And she keeps threatening to quit if I keep involving her in all this nonsense."

That elicited roaring laughter from the woman, and his heart was slightly moved. He tried his best to memorize the sound that he had forgotten.

"It's not funny."

She snorted, "Oh, I'm sorry. Nathalie Sancoeur, the woman you chased around like a lost puppy in 1994 as Hawkmoth? That Nathalie Sancoeur, who believed that she had fooled you into thinking she was a squeaky-clean intellectual? This is classic."

He growled, " _She. Was. A. Criminal."_

"You were in love with her." She snickered. "Then you _hired_ her as your assistant. I know they say 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer', but you take the statement too literally, Gabe."

"The pot calls the kettle black, Celine." Gabriel smiled. "Didn't you make me go on a date with you in exchange for free modelling?"

She smacked her lips, "That's different."

"You knew I was Hawkmoth. I didn't know you were Madame Peacock at the time. Equally manipulative." He pointed out.

"Po-ta-to, po-tah-to, Gabriel." She answered. "What are you up to? I'm bored tracking Adrien."

He thrummed his fingers on his desk, "I think I'm _supposed_ to be reviewing some sketches for an afternoon meeting with several junior designers, but luckily for me, being Hawkmoth has left me with some ability to think on my feet, so I'm skipping it."

* * *

 _Don't think about it. Don't ask about. Don't meddle in his life! Don't—_

"Go on." He sneered, "Ask me how my date went."

It was last night. Gabriel had _finally_ relented after several days, and took her out to an incredibly nice dinner. Flowers were involved. Actually, the man had deliberately gone over the top with roses, a limousine, and a black-tie restaurant, if just to shut Celine Russo up. He played the part of a man he was not, just to remind her of that very fact.

Marinette hummed, looking over the top of one of his sewing machines. "How…How did it go?"

Gabriel sucked in a breath and admitted, "It went fine, as fine as it could go. She was…sparkly."

"Sparkly?" Her eyebrows quirked slightly.

The man was cutting out pattern pieced, and he draped a panel over a dress form, pinning it into place. "There's no way to describe it. She's—she's got a gravitational pull in the nicest way." He replied, "However, her lack of pedigree is a disappointment. My parents would never approve."

"You could always lie."

Clicking his tongue, he nodded.

There was a knocking at the doorway of the studio. It was Madame Peacock. Who else would it be?

Gabriel straightened up, "Peacock."

She glared at him, crossing his arms, "You missed patrol."

He raised his eyebrows, "Excuse me?"

"Four years, Gabriel." The woman scuffed, brushing away a strand of blonde hair. "You've been consistent on your patrols. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Can you understand my _horror_ when I turned on the morning news and the first thing I hear is that you weren't out last night?"

There was something devilish about Gabriel Agreste. Scratch that, the man was a literal demon. "Well—"

The girl pouted, and interrupted him, " _I_ was worried sick."

It was all very convincing. Marinette's host was convinced. For very obvious reasons, Marinette was not. Peacock exchanged a quick glance to her.

The pig-tailed girl gave her a thumbs up.

 _Yes! Get married! Have Adrien! Come to the wedding my parents are planning!_

"I'm sorry." He told her, "I had a date."

The superheroine was brandishing a newspaper behind her, and revealed it to him. The social section of the local Paris newspaper. Gabriel and Celine were on the front cover. "Yes, I know." She frowned, "I saw the news, then consulted my newspaper for more information."

Groaning, he leaned against his work table.

"It's not the end of the world." Marinette told him, "I was in the social section all the time."

Gabriel was unimpressed. Apparently, he had been in the social section for a majority of his life. "Were you?"

"Well, as Ladybug, and because I was sort of dating a model." She admitted sheepishly. "It…helped my career, Gabriel. If you date this girl, you could help each other."

 _Well, this is how low I've personally sunk._ Marinette thought to herself, _I'm giving him the advice that I myself rejected when he in turn gave it to me._ As long as Celine and Gabriel got together and had at least one blonde-haired, green-eyed boy it would all be worth it.

Maybe. Maybe it would all be worth it. Gabriel Agreste is an idiot when it comes to all things related to Madame Peacock and Celine Russo.

The peacock hummed, and tapped her foot, "It _would_ help your career jumpstart. Give you an edge."

 _Of course, if you let Celine toy with him for too long, he could reject her when he learns the truth._

There were far too many decisions, and every time Marinette overstepped, Gabriel would lovingly remind her not to interfere with his timeline. Like, literally 'his timeline,', like the rich bastard owned the entire timeline. It was arrogant. It was slightly endearing.

Still, living with him for the past month or two hadn't been too awful. He dragged her along as his 'assistant' to fashion shows and was as polite and kind as he could be. She modeled for him for his figure drawing final, as well as some early drafts for his client's commissions. Needless to say, he was different. His edges were still sharp, his humor was still dry, but he wasn't as cold.

The man only nodded, as it truly did appeal to him. There really was no drawback for Gabriel. When he wasn't designing, he was attending social functions, visiting friends, and nabbing clients and contacts by the day. Marinette didn't expect him to be social, but when she saw his number of scheduled appointments grow, she knew he was biting the bullet for his business.

Dating Celine Russo would allow him leisure time, while benefiting his budding brand.

"You're not jealous, are you?" He asked his former partner, "I could understand if you were, she's the most beautiful woman in all of Paris."

Madame Peacock cocked her head to the side, and mused, "She's alright looking."

Gabriel smiled. "She's more than 'alright looking', Peacock."

 _He is an idiot._ Marinette thought, exchanging a quick glance with the peacock hero. "We get it," the teenager told him, rolling her eyes, "She's the light of your life. You're totally in love with her. What's for lunch?"

Well, he didn't exactly deny it. That was a start. Madame Peacock turned a distinct shade of scarlet and flew out of the mansion fairly quickly.

"Thank you, Marinette." He murmured. "For everything. I don't know when you're leaving, but I want you to know that I'm grateful."

Softening slightly, she asked, "What did I do?"

The man went back to his work table, and continued to cut out the suede. "Madame Peacock started visiting when you showed up. We're actually _talking._ We're not talking about what we need to talk about, of course. We're still not partners, but it's…it's enough."

She nodded, "I understand."

"Have you fought with your partner? Chat Noir?" He attempted to sound casual, but now he was distinctly prying.

Smiling, she shook her head, "We…we kind of knew each other outside of the suits, and I, as Marinette, would drag myself into danger, which he didn't appreciate."

 _Because you sent out akumas almost 24/7._

The girl promptly squashed that thought down. Then again, Hawkmoth's brand of danger in 1994 were armed robberies, car crashes, house fires. He had no concept of what it meant to fight another miraculous user. There was no suspicion from anyone (Fu, Peacock, or him) that he would become a supervillain. The thought would probably be laughable at this point in Gabriel's life.

Mainly because Gabriel Agreste is around twenty-years-old and having all the money in the world didn't change the fact that he still looked like a wiry, moody teenager.

Even so, Marinette had to give Gabriel credit. The man was _deliberately_ oblivious. She knew it was a conscious choice, because he was completely sane in every other aspect of his life. The only two girls who paid attention to him were 'Celine' and 'Madame Peacock' and he hadn't quite made the connection. Of course, the man had no true qualms with the attention, and didn't monologue on end over 'who he loved more', because it didn't bother him to handle them both.

He kept Celine at an arm's distance, so there was no huge expectation of romance and dating. Yet, if the supermodel was pulled an inch closer, Madame Peacock was pushed a little further away.

 _It was only two or three weeks later that things got…interesting_. Gabriel had a photographer's studio set up in one of the empty rooms of the basement, and another room was set up for hair and makeup. Celine was finally modelling the winter collection. The debut line would be stunning, mainly because the designer had a stunning muse.

Marinette understood where Adrien got his suavity behavior. Gabriel was smooth around Celine, gentlemanly, charming, and soft. Celine was the equivalent of a tomcat, bold, funny, and attractive.

The day had started at five o'clock in the morning, and the blue-haired girl was tasked with running upstairs, brewing either espresso or coffee, and running it back down to whoever needed it. Apparently, the money that Gabriel had made thus far as a designer did not extend to caterers, yet. It was enough to cover for hair and makeup artist, and a photographer, both of which were very expensive.

Things were going incredibly well between the two lovebirds, and she couldn't help but wonder when Celine would break it to him.

 _"Actually, Gabriel, it's me, Madame Peacock."_

That wouldn't go over well. Or maybe it would. They're both idiots and Marinette understood where Adrien got it from. And as much as Marinette complained about it, she knew she'd have a lot of new material when she saw Gabriel in 2016.

 _"So Gabe, do you still have the peacock bathrobe?"_

He probably still had it. It was of impeccable quality.

 _"I see that your haircut hasn't changed in twenty years. How fashion forward."_

He'd probably respond that there's a difference between being fashion forward and being a fashion icon.

Yet, there was nothing that could prepare her for this lovely Monday morning. Celine was sitting in the makeup chair, and Marinette was on a sofa, flipping through a magazine. In reality, the blunette was waiting for Gabriel to give her some asinine job to keep her busy.

Gabriel had gone over the makeup he wanted for each of the pieces Celine would be modelling.

"So, let's move on to the hair. I would—" The designer started.

The stylist cut him off. "You know," she said, "If you styled her hair like this—", the stylist lifted ran her fingers forward across in Celine's hair, adding slight volume to her blonde blocks, "—Celine would look _just_ like Madame Peacock."

So.

There were several shocking things occurred in the span of two or three seconds.

Normally, Gabriel would be infuriated to be interrupted. Right now, he was in shock. His mouth opened and closed. He went through several facial expressions. It was mostly anger and confusion which he couldn't direct towards anyone.

Celine's eyes were cemented to the mirror in front of her, and she had palled slightly, but otherwise, her expression hadn't changed. She was still smiling politely. Maybe she was blinking more.

Gabriel whirled towards Marinette, to accuse her of conspiring against him, but found that she was gone. She disappeared from the very couch she was on. Her magazine was on the floor.

"Where did your assistant go?" The stylist asked nonchalantly, as though she didn't just shock him to his very core.

He swallowed, "I imagine that she went home. Let's...continue."

* * *

 _AN: Okay guys, let me know, what was your favorite part of this chapter? I liked writing classroom scene, especially with Madame Bustier, but I think I enjoy reading the second phone call between Celine and Gabe. What about you?_


	21. Chapter 21

Adrien felt himself snap back to reality. He checked the time on his baton. What had he been up to for the last 3 hours? The boy wouldn't have been able to answer. There were a few fuzzy memories, talking to his father in his office, apologizing to several police officers, busting some small-crimes. But otherwise, everything since lunch was a blur.

Right. Lunch. Chloe Bourgeois. He'd probably have to apologize to her. It wasn't exactly kind, and he wasn't acting like himself. What would she think of him now?

 _Oh, fuck._

What would his father think?

At the moment, Chat Noir was racking his brain. Was the discussion with his father about how he treated the girl, or would he still have to dread it later? Did his father mention the gossip magazines about the two of them?

He couldn't remember.

Chloe would probably complain to her father, who would in turn call his father. The boy knew that Gabriel Agreste, a.k.a. his father, was keeping a close eye on his son's behavior. This also meant swift reprimanding for lapses in judgment, slip-ups in courtesy, and snarky attitude. Hell, he could already _hear_ the lecture.

He had to make use of his moments of realization, he knew. Perhaps there were people who needed his help, or that he needed to apologize to. From what little he could gather of his memories, he had vandalized almost half the city, and caused quite a panic. Chat looked around as his ears twitched, trying to pick up sound.

"A parking garage?" He said aloud, his eyes scanning the expensive cars that surrounded him. There was a sign. Le Grand Paris. He knew that he was on the lowest sub-level, where the nicest cars were stored.

There was something odd about the air in the room, as though it were pulsating around him, waiting. He glanced around. No cameras. No people to discover any superheroes. This was the perfect spot. There was a sleek, white Mercedes in front of him, and he couldn't help but be drawn to it.

Odysseus to the sirens, but this time, there was no one to hold him back. It was singing to him, begging him to move closer and closer to the car.

The arrow was there.

Swallowing, he summed all of the dark energy within him. "Cataclysm."

Dissipating into thin air, the car was gone, and an arrow fell out of what was the trunk. He de-transformed immediately, and picked up the object. It was a black-tipped, with a yellow shaft, and black-and-yellow striped fletching. It was so light, that Adrien could've easily snapped it in two.

 _November 5, 1994._

He knew the date by heart. Looking around, he slipped the arrow into his messenger bag, being careful not to touch the tip.

"We did it." He murmured to Plagg, taking a piece of camembert out of his pocket and handing it to the kwami on his shoulder. "Let's get out of here before Yellow Jacket finds us. Are you okay? Can we transform?"

Plagg nodded. "Transforming also means that the arrow won't technically exist until you de-transform, which will buy us time. Let's go, the quicker we get to the intersection, the quicker we get Tikki and Mario back."

"Marinette." He corrected. Yet his smile was so wild, it could burst off of his face. "I still have to act like I haven't found it yet."

"Yellow Jacket is probably tracking you on the Ladyblog or whatever." Plagg told him. "Let's. Go. It is not safe to be here."

"Right. Transform me!"

The boy walked out of a parking garage, and immediately was surprised by a group of reporters. He held up his hands in defeat. "It's not here, guys." He lied, but it wasn't convincing.

 _Get across Paris._ He shook the reporters off of him, and withdrew his baton, vaulting across the street, and climbing across the rooftops until he landed on a familiar bakery.

He bounded down the steps, practically crashing into Tom. Tom was much larger than the boy, so the boy bounced back, smacking his ass into the wooden stairs. Chat looked up at Marinette's father, the glee uncontainable.

There was a moment of realization in Tom's eyes, and they looked glassy. "Today?" His voice was so elated, yet soft, and warm. Nothing like the Chat's own father.

"Soon." He told the man. "I just need some cookies for Ladybug's kwami. And for Ladybug. I'm not sure how time travelling feels, but I'm sure you'd feel hungry if you travelled 20 years into the future."

"Go." He told the boy, "Bring her home."

Chat nodded, and felt a huge weight upon his shoulders. "I will, sir." The cat took pause, and turned back towards the Frenchman. "Do you have my father's number? Could you—could you call him or Nathalie and let him know that Marinette and I are going to be okay?"

Tom nodded, and pulled out his phone. Chat Noir was satisfied. Hawkmoth would be there as soon as he could be.

He bypassed one of Tom and Sabine's employees, and ducked down behind the counter. Several customers stared at him, and he poked his head up, after grabbing two dozen cookies and sticking them into a bakery box.

"You can't just—" The small employee protested.

The blonde smirked, "Watch me."

Skipping through the back door, he was only a couple blocks away. That was close enough. De-transform in the safety of the alley, break the arrow, transform, run like hell, kiss Marinette.

Easy. _Super_ easy. The cat's meow, really.

He just had to accept that Yellow Jacket was coming for their heads. Chat dug his claws into the palms of his head. There was so much to risk. If that villain managed to hit them, he knew it could be fatal. The striped girl was terrifyingly driven. More powerful than any akuma they had faced. More anonymous than Hawkmoth.

Chat Noir wanted to strangle himself. When he was staying with his mother, he should've kept up training. He rolled his eyes when Hawkmoth was still sending out akumas to Marinette, but she was keeping herself together, keeping her strength up. Now, he's not trained enough, and he's not sure what she's been up to the past couple months.

They're not ready.

"I'm not ready." He whispered. "I can't _do this._ "

He shut his eyes, and heard his father's voice. He heard his father tell him that he couldn't lose him. He heard his father sneering over him as a 'vapid model.'

He saw his father's face when he realized that Adrien was _more_ than what he had designed him to be.

Adrien kept his eyes shut. He thought about Marinette. Her smile, her unwavering energy and positive spirit, and her ability to hold them together. She was reassuring both him as Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir that she would be okay. She was coming up with solid plans.

She was holding him close to her after his entire world shattered, and begged him to stay with her through it.

He was catching her in his arms on the sidewalk outside her parent's bakery. They were spinning. They were always spinning together. She was begging him to protect his identity, to stay out of the fight with Yellow Jacket.

Then he was holding her as she was fading away, holding her as every piece of himself left with her.

 _Yellow Jacket._

The boy let out a hiss, de-transformed, and took the arrow out of his bag.

* * *

"Sir." Nathalie opened the door. "It's Adrien."

Gabriel stood, and strode towards her, "What is it?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng's father called. According to him, Adrien told him to tell you that he and Marinette are going to be okay." Her voice was laced with anxiety. She was hardly annoyed. "I've already cleared your schedule, sir. I have a paid-off driver waiting. I can—"

The man put a hand on her shoulder. "Nathalie. It will be alright. Send a driver to the Collège. Make sure Nathanaël is safe." The man swallowed, and withdrew his hand. "There are files, under my photo archives. You'll find them easily, if you haven't already. I have planned several things if I were to—"

"Don't." Her voice broke, her eyes watered. "I—please, sir."

He smiled slightly, "I'm sorry for involving you."

Nathalie shot him a glare, "That's _not_ what you should be apologizing to me for right now."

The man laughed. "I will apologize for the soft spot I've held for you for almost twenty years. I hope you'll forgive me if I ever prayed on your desire to keep your identity a secret."

The woman pursed her lips, and shot him a nefarious look. "Oh. Don't apologize for that. After this is over, you're going to give me a nice raise and bonus. The tables have turned."

Gabriel smirked, "There's always room for negotiation."

Her office phone started to ring. She shook her head playfully, and walked to her desk, leaning over it slightly. "Madame Agreste? Yes. I'll let him know." Nathalie hung up the phone and looked back at him. "Just go, Monsieur Agreste, before I bury you in paperwork."

He hummed, and strolled past her. Stopping at the door, he turned. "Nooroo? Where are you?"

The purple kwami burst out of Gabriel's office, and flew on a rather skewed path, upturning all of the papers on Nathalie's desk and bursting straight up. "I'm so excited please, please, _please_ , can we get a superhero?"

Floating towards Gabriel (who was ignoring Nathalie's very pointed glare over the mess the little fairy had made) he shook his head, "I'm afraid my son has asked me not to put anyone's lives at risk. It'll be just us." The man pulled his sleeve, allowing for the bubbly butterfly to slip in. "We'll be fine."

"How long do you think it'll take for him to change his mind?" His assistant asked, picking up the files and setting them back on her large desk.

He cringed slightly, "We have a team put together, Nathalie."

She sucked in a breath, "As long as it's not my nephew."

"It would be someone else's nephew." He commented, before immediately clamping his mouth shut.

"No." Nathalie's voice dropped, "You will not destroy my family. You will not put him in harm's way."

Gabriel swallowed, and agreed. Evillustrator would've been his first choice, unfortunately. "Alright. I agree."

 _"Promise me."_

"I have to leave, Nathalie."

"Gabriel."

That stopped him in his tracks as he tried to cross her out the door. He turned back and glared at her. Sadly, she had worked with him for so long, that the expression no longer terrified her. His Agreste Glare was the equivalent of an angry West Highland terrier. "I don't make promises, Nathalie, because I typically disappoint people."

She rolled her eyes, "Do you think not promising to turn my kid into a superhero and breaking that promise will really absolve you of guilt? Or are you incapable of feeling guilt?"

"I'm capable of at least three emotions, Nathalie Sancoeur." He retorted.

Nathalie felt her face get hot, and her pulse rise, "This is _not_ a laughing matter. I will tell the entire world what kind of man you are if you involve my family!"

Gabriel frowned, she was unbearable. He had a sensitivity to other's emotions, and when he hired her (a woman who was largely unfeeling), he knew it wouldn't be a problem. Now, it was a problem. "Alright, I promise, your nephew won't get involved."

"Don't akumatize me."

"I have never planned on that, and I don't plan on it now." He answered, heading out the door.

 _Get a grip._

* * *

Nathalie had called it a day at the office. She could be living in Antartica and still be able to cover for Gabriel's absence (as long as she had her laptop and an internet connection). She stood outside the company car, while the driver waited. When Nathanaël walked out, she offered a smile and a short wave, beckoning him over.

She had seen a few other cars around Paris, there were still tourists, and taxi drivers, after all. But no one who actually _lived_ in Paris were out on the streets. If she could take a guess, she would say there was a giant akuma somewhere, but there wasn't. Chat Noir had been ripping everything apart, and #calmbeforethestorm had started trending throughout the romantic city.

Most people thought that the cat had finally cracked, because most people believed she was dead. Nathalie knew better.

"Get in." She told him herding him into the black leather.

Nathalie sat down next to him and shut the door, nodding to the driver. Pulling away from the school, she turned to the boy. "I don't want you to worry, Nath."

He frowned, "I could've walked."

"You could have." She agreed, "However, there's…news."

"News?"

She held her hand out, "I can't let the word get out. I need to trust that you can handle this, and not tell your class's group chat."

His eyes widened slightly, and the phone that was on his lap was immediately slipped into his backpack. "Okay, Nat. Shoot."

"Marinette will be, or has already returned to Paris." She sucked in a breath. "I only know this because Chat Noir told Tom Dupain, who told Gabriel Agreste, who told me. Are we clear?"

The teenager was smart, and she knew he wouldn't exactly accept that answer. Still, the boy allowed it, and allowed himself to be slightly giddy. "That's great news!"

"Not great." Nathalie swallowed, "It's—"

"Shouldn't you be at work?"

Freezing slightly, she gave him a slight smile. "I thought it would be best to ensure your safety. We're going to head back home, and hunker down."

"Is something going to happen?"

She frowned, "Monsieur Agreste and I think so. He felt it was best to make sure you and I were both safe."

Nathanaël furrowed his eyebrows, "That was really cool of Agreste."

"My boss is not cool, but he does care about family, somewhat." She admitted.

Rolling his eyes, the boy responded, "Could've fooled me."

Her phone had begun to ring, and the boy stiffened, panic rushing into him. "Is the car bugged, did he hear me? Oh god, Aunt Nat please tell him I'm sorry!"

She swiped a button, and took the call. "Yes, I'm here."

Her voice was as sweet as ever, "I need you to protect Adrien, no matter what happens. I don't know if Gabriel has left you anything in his will, but I have enough in mine to grant you a salary, benefits, anything so that my son is—"

"I'll protect him regardless of any of that." She told Celine. "Please, you both have been obnoxiously sentimental and touchy today."

Her anger was suddenly explosive, "Do you _not care?_ My entire family is—"

Nathalie turned down the volume, and shot a glance over to her nephew, hoping he wouldn't connect the dots. He seemed relaxed, but his eyes were glanced out the windows, expecting the worst.

"—at risk, and all you have to say is that I'm being touchy?" She was screaming.

She frowned, "Of course I care, Madame, but we all cope with danger differently. You're letting your temper get the best of you, Gabriel is a shameless flirt, and I'm ignoring the problem to the best of my ability. I. Am. Coping. Was there anything else you needed?"

Celine inhaled, but did not apologize for her outburst. "No, that was all."

She hung up on her, which caused Nathalie to roll her eyes.

 _Agrestes._

* * *

Fu made good on his promise to erase Gabriel's memory. He didn't erase Celine's however, because the woman had trained to be a Guardian for enough time before getting her hands on the Peacock miraculous. She was highly knowledgeable, and extremely trustworthy. Celine would be there to cover for Marinette's absence. Gabriel, however, with his power and drive, could not be trusted with any information from a fashion designer from the future.

The memories of Marinette didn't quite go away immediately. Gabriel and her spend so much time together, and got along so well that Celine and Fu were fully prepared for him to occasionally bring her up. They entertained his memories, they reflected with him, because they knew he'd forget eventually.

When Gabriel and Celine married two years later, they had a huge affair. Yet, even being surrounded by friends and family did not change the aching feeling that Marinette was missing.

"These memories are supposed to go away." He groaned into his wife's hair. "Everything is still fresh."

Celine smiled sympathetically. "In time."

"It's been two years." The man answered, "I—I hate feeling like this."

 _He loved her like a sister, and she's not here,_ Celine swallowed, and studied him carefully. Marinette had insisted that his memory would be erased, she had forced them all to swear on their kwamis that he would have no memories. She had tried to wrap her head around the reason, but Mari and her husband were both fashion designers. They were protective of their work and designs. Celine had packed everything of Mari's away the day after she was gone, and locked it all away in the attic.

"I promise it'll go away." She told him. Hopefully, he'd start seeking her out. Celine had failed to mention that he'd only forget her upon discovery that she was born. Fu and her had agreed, Marinette had changed him for the better, and he deserved to have those memories as long as he could.

Perhaps the warmth would stay. Perhaps the Gabriel's overwhelming need for large family and art and love would stay.

Gabriel had started to scour newspapers in 2001. He was giddy, ready for her to be born, as though an infant would have any interest in him. Still, he was hopeful that his own newborn, a little blonde boy who was the spitting image of his wife, would know her.

Celine had slipped into their bedroom window after a patrol, and he had suggested it. "What if Marinette and Adrien know each other one day?"

She rolled her eyes, let her transformation go, and slipped into bed next to him. He placed his sketchbook on the bedside table, next to the baby monitor. "By the time they even have a chance to meet, you won't even know her."

"I bet I'd like her." He replied, taking off his glasses and turning back towards her, his arm curling around her waist. Her hair smelt like a bakery, and he wondered if she had stopped by _that_ bakery. The bakery that he was expressly banned from by his wife. "Did I tell you about our bet?"

"No." She murmured, burying herself further into the covers.

He chuckled, "She wagered my first-born son that I'd regret how I treated you."

Humming, she started to doze off. Adrien was a good child, he typically always slept through the night, and didn't cry often. It would be pretty awful to come back from a patrol, sleep for an hour, and then be awoken by a screaming infant. Still, they each switched off on the night-shifts.

There was one particular Sunday morning, when Celine heard him burst into the library, where she was feeding Adrien. He was _ecstatic,_ bursting with energy, and his smile was contagious. He was clutching a newspaper.

"I have the best news!" Gabriel exclaimed, his eyes bright.

Celine raised her eyebrows, "What is it?"

He blinked, and stared down at the paper, his eyes searching for recognition. Inhaling, he licked his lips slightly, and his shoulder relaxed. "I can't even remember." Gabriel admitted, his energy dissipating. "I'm not sure why I came in here."

She chuckled, "It's not a big deal. Want to feed Adrien?" Celine handed her husband the formula bottle, and the tiny child afterwards, both of which he took without thinking.

Celine watched him carefully study their son, trying to recall the news he wanted to share. She picked up the newspaper. There was the birth announcement, and there was the black-and-white picture of an infant child.

 _Future Ladybug._ Her expression was politely curious as she pretended to comb through the paper, checking the social and business sections. Miraculous users weren't typically pre-destined like this, but Fu explained that if it was her, it was her. She would grow into it, and she would become Ladybug long before she would ever get the earrings.

She glanced over to her son. Marinette had never directly said anything about Chat Noir, in fact, the girl had done everything to avoid the subject. There was no mistaking the way Marinette's eyes would flash over to Celine's for a moment. The woman had gathered that she was connected to the black cat hero somehow.

So, when she had given birth to a boy who was quickly growing up in her spitting image, the pieces had fallen into place. Marinette's desire to push Gabriel to become romantically involved with Celine started to make sense. Joking about Gabriel's first-born son was too close to the mark, as well. Couple that with the fact that both of Adrien Agreste's parents are superheroes, and it all made sense.

It was all a cocktail for a pretty amazing Chat Noir.

 _Fuck._

"Something wrong?" His eyes sparkled towards her, sensing her immediate discomfort.

Celine glanced up at him, and smiled, "Everything's alright, Gabe."

 _If Ladybug and Chat Noir were activated to fight Yellow Jacket, what happens to Gabriel and I?_ The thought suddenly consumed her, and Celine suddenly wished that her memory had been erased.

"You don't seem alright."

Rolling her shoulders, she stood, and pecked him on the cheeks. "Just thinking about miraculous stuff. Don't worry about it." _I have to get out of here,_ she thought panicking slightly, _I need to ask Fu. She might've told him._

He stopped her with his voice. Gabriel was always so soft-spoken and sweet when he carried Adrien. "I was thinking about that too."

Turning back, she leaned against a bookshelf, "Yeah?"

"We shouldn't tell Adrien." The man told her.

Furrowing her eyebrows, she replied with trepidation, "What? Why?"

Rocking their son, Gabriel looked down at him, "It was…I have no regrets about being Hawkmoth and being a superhero, but I don't want him to be a superhero. Adrien will be amazing all on his own."

* * *

Traveling backwards in time was incredibly faster than traveling forward. It took hours to crochet a scarf, days even, but it only took minutes to unravel the string. Waking up in 1994, she felt as though only minutes had passed since the fight with Yellow Jacket.

Marinette was holding Tikki tightly as humanity sped forward. It was like watching a television change one-hundred channels a second. There was so little that she actually recognized, until she saw a flash of Lady Wifi, and suddenly—

There was a familiar sensation, crash-landing on the street below her. _Clumsy._ Her vision blacked out for a second, and she was stricken with fear as she glanced around, wondering if Yellow Jacket had hit her again, if she'd disappear. The girl had to get her bearings. Paris was deserted, it was overcast and chilly. She could move her fingers and toes.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and Marinette instinctively threh her right hook over her shoulder to whoever had made contact with her. Whether it was the shock of time travel, the fear of Yellow Jacket, or plain instinct driving her behavior, she couldn't say. The girl had made contact with _someone's_ face, even in her blurred vision. It was definitely a blonde, at least.

It was Chat Noir.

Marinette punched Chat Noir.

"Adrien?" Her voice broke.


	22. Chapter 22

Chat Noir cradled his nose, reeling. Her presence, her return, was electrifying. It burst through him, and for a moment, she was glowing red.

Her geometric-patterned, neon leggings weren't glowing, but they were still loud and out there for the modern day. It was very nineties. The gray collegiate sweater that did nothing to draw the eye didn't help much, either.

Her eyes fell to him, and she looked horrified, and then relieved. Throwing herself at him, she cried out, "Chat!"

Quickly returning the embrace, he took in the scent of her, strawberries and mint. "It's me, princess."

"What day is it?"

"February 3rd," He replied, "Just in time for Valentine's."

His ears twitched and she pulled away, looking up towards the overcast sky. He stared in the opposite direction, scanning the sky for a certain villain. Glancing over to him, she felt herself tense up. "Where is everyone, chaton?"

Hands passed her a box of cookies from her parent's bakery. She started to tear up, as she opened the box, pulling out several cookies. "I've been kind of busy searching for you today. The city has cleared the streets."

She stepped towards a traffic life, which had been cut in half and gutted like a fish. "Who did this?"

"Me." He admitted, twiddling his thumbs. "Things have been…difficult? I guess that would be the word."

Marinette nodded, and her eyes fell to an alleyway, which Hawkmoth was strolling out of. His platinum hair was still tinged lavender, but he looked more comfortable in his superhero uniform. She smiled and laughed, "Long time no see."

"It's been three months, kid." He called back to her, smiling slightly. "I don't want to alarm you, but the Ladyblog reported Yellow Jacket sightings."

Chat Noir tensed slightly, and his avoided looking at his father. "Fantastic. We should come up with a plan."

"In time." Hawkmoth answered, placing his hand on Marinette's shoulder, "You are more than welcome to head home and sit this one out, instead."

Marinette shook her head, "Not an option. Not fighting all-together sent me back in time in the first place. Tikki, you ready?"

The kwami poked her head out of Marinette's jacket, her cheeks puffed up inhaling several cookies. "I am."

Her smile was superb. "Let's go. Tikki, transform me!"

The red fairy flew into her earrings, and her transformation slid over her, fitting her perfectly like a glove. She didn't transform at all while staying with Gabriel, because she didn't want any civilian to bear witness to a black-spotted superhero. Now, it felt like putting on a favorite t-shirt. Her eyes flashed up to a blushing Chat Noir.

"Goodness." Hawkmoth muttered, rolling his eyes at the entire situation. Couldn't his son act accordingly? "We have to focus, children."

Chat Noir hissed, "I am focused."

The girl chuckled, her eyes sparkling slightly, "Hypocrite."

Hawkmoth inhaled, "I was never like that."

She hummed in response, her eyebrows poised in perfect arches. "Sure, sure."

Chat's ears twitched, "As much as I _don't_ want to hear about Hawkmoth and Madame Peacock's misadventures, I think I hear our villain." There was a distinct whistling through the air. The girl must've been flying above the city, searching for them.

The girl in question flew about six meters in front of them, and seven meters in the air. Her arms were crossed, "Well, isn't this reunion touching? Marinette Dupain-Cheng, always a pleasure."

Ladybug placed her hand on her yo-yo. "Of course, Yellow Jacket. How about a truce?"

Hawkmoth scowled, "No."

Chat Noir nodded, "Yeah, I agree. No truce."

"This ends now," His father affirmed.

"You don't even _have_ a weapon." She snapped back, before turning back to the flying blonde. "I just want to go home and see my family. We don't have to fight eachother."

"I _want_ to fight you." Yellow Jacket smirked, tilting her head to the side, "I don't understand why you're not fighting Hawkmoth, Ladybug. It's because of him that you're not even safe in your own home."

She shook her head, "It's because of you that I'm not safe."

The girl smirked, and withdrew an arrow, "Fair enough. So what will it be? Sixties? Seventies? Maybe into the future?"

"Let's just get this over with!" Ladybug replied, rolling her eyes. "Hawkmoth, declare a champion."

"He's _not_ doing that." Chat replied. Extending his staff. "We're going to win this without putting any civilians in danger."

The man smoothed out his cufflinks, and shot a wry look at his son, "Good luck with that plan."

Yellow Jacket loosed an arrow, aiming straight for Marinette. Hawkmoth and Ladybug dived left, and Chat Noir dived right. The black-spotted heroine absolutely crashed into Hawkmoth, and scowled.

Standing up, she spun her yo-yo, using it as a protect shield. "What do you mean you can't declare champions? That's your _only_ move."

The old man grunted, and adjusted his eyeglasses, "I am not allowed."

Groaning, she looked back up at Yellow Jacket, who was about to shoot an arrow at Chat. Loosing it, Marinette reached out, throwing her whole body towards him. _Protect him,_ she told herself, except that it was for nothing. Hawkmoth grabbed her left wrist, preventing her from moving.

Her eyes widened as she turned back to him, and her right hand immediately swung back at him, which he dodged, freeing her wrist. "How dare you!" She spat.

Hawkmoth rolled his eyes, and flashed her a slightly-boyish grin, "Turn around, Ladybug. Did you think I would come to this fight without a plan?"

* * *

Chat had gotten off the ground when Yellow Jacket flew closer to him, and promptly aimed an arrow at him.

He had no idea how to defeat her. She could _fly._ Why couldn't Ladybug fly? His father flew, of course, but not nearly at a speed worthy of competing with Yellow Jacket.

The main goal was to keep her away from them. Marinette's downfall was letting Yellow Jacket get to close to her.

There was little he could do but hope that his lady would break the arrow soon. Of course, that's what he thought.

A blur of blue flew down to his right, rolled expertly and slid in front of him. Her shield was a circle of peacock feathers, and her masked face cringed as the arrow exploded against the thick barrier.

Her hair was blonde with blue and green ends, flowing off her face with several feathers woven into it. The suit she wore was a bright blue with green and gold speckles throughout, and she wore brown-heeled boots that went to her mid-thigh.

It was Madame Peacock.

"Mom?" He whispered. "What are you—"

The shield retracted into itself, turning into a fan. She ignored her son, and turned towards her husband (ex-husband? Adrien wasn't sure if they ever went through an official divorce). "Hawkmoth! Plan A!" She barked at him.

The man, shook his head, "Hell no, birdy. That's risky."

She glared at him, "And who made you team leader?"

"Who made you?" He retorted.

Peacock scoffed, and looked up at Yellow Jacket. "I don't believe we've met, young lady."

Hawkmoth crossed to her, "Don't ignore me."

Her hand shot out, connecting to his face and stopping him in his tracks, and she continued to smile at a very shocked supervillain flying above her. Unaffected, Hawkmoth took her hand in his, and kissed her gloved knuckless softly. His eyes studied her face carefully.

Chat Noir's jaw about dropped to the floor. His mother didn't acknowledge the sensation. Ladybug wasn't surprised, she had seen it over the past several months. It was no wonder as to where Chat Noir got his flirty nature from.

"So," Madame Peacock told the girl, pulling her hand away from Hawkmoth, "Don't you think this has gone far enough?"

"Perhaps." The girl admitted, "However, I'm not giving up my miraculous, and I'm not letting Ladybug stay in Paris to take it away from me."

The woman licked her lips and glanced over to her husband, who was staring at her, "That's where we disagree, then."

Hawkmoth was reduced to pieces, an awkward assembly of legs, arms, torso, and a head of light-purple hair. His wife was itching for a fight, and he was more than willing to scratch the surface. "Alright, Plan A. You take Chat Noir, I'll take Ladybug."

The woman nodded, and waved her fan at Yellow Jacket, and smirked, "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Hawkmoth turned around, and stepped towards Ladybug. "Follow me." He hissed at her.

"Feathers out!" She shouted.

He stilled, and resisted the urge to go back to her. Her magic was aimed at Yellow Jacket. The girl would have no choice but to attack Madame Peacock.

Ladybug followed him, and glanced back to Chat Noir, who aided in blocking the arrows that were suddenly aimed at his mother. They're pacing was quick, and Yellow Jacket was flying incredibly fast. Madame Peacock was matching her speed in a blur of blue, green, and brown. The black cat was doing his best to keep his back to his mother, but she was moving, curling around him and weaving around his staff. He stood more like a beacon in the center of the intersection.

"Our job is to get the miraculous." He told the girl, "We have five minutes before her transformation wears off."

Nodding, she turned back towards him, "What can we do?"

He produced a small, white butterfly in his palms, and his voice dropped. "I have an idea."

* * *

Gabriel stared at Celine. The photoshoot was over and they had retired to a secluded spot in the library, and he was just…trying to see it.

"Gabriel…" Her weak voice trailed off, her eyes stared at the shelves of books. "I never meant to hurt you."

It just… _wasn't like her._ Madame Peacock was aggressive, bossy, and confident. The girl standing before him was the exact opposite. Gabriel didn't act much differently at Hawkmoth. He was consistently ambitious, gentlemanly, and cold, in and out of the super suit.

"I know." He told her, "We need to focus on packing up Marinette's things and erasing our memories."

Her head whipped around to look at him, her blonde hair bobbing slightly in the loose bun she wore it in. "So you're just going to ignore the issue at hand?"

His eyes narrowed, "Of course not. There's no issue."

Celine's eyes widened, "You're not upset?"

"No." Perhaps his words were a little too forced, and he could barely look at her without blushing.

"You're lying." She inched a bit closer to him, her voice warm, "It's okay to be upset, Gabe."

He glanced over to her, and deadpanned, "I'm not upset. I'm thrilled."

She took another step forward, and her boyfriend stiffened up _even more._ "Please just talk to me, Agreste. I won't bite you."

Gabriel rolled his eyes as a response, "Unless I'm into it, right? Spare me."

Her eyes glanced down to his lips for a moment, and her smirk was unmistakable, "Don't distract me from the subject. We need to talk about it."

"Maybe I'm just distracting in general." He responded without much thought to what he was saying. "You're Madame Peacock. Amazing. Makes the whole 'flirting with two different women' really easy on me. Are we done?"

"No." She replied. "You're not acknowledging all of the lying I pulled on you."

Quirking his eyebrows, "We're superheroes," He told her, "Lying is a part of the job. You should protect your identity with your life. You should protect your partner's identity with your life."

Her mouth was agape, "We lie to _civilians._ We—we don't just lie to our partners. I knowingly lied to you."

"You protected your identity." He corrected her. "We work in the same industry, that was to be expected."

Celine wasn't convinced. "You're a jackass."

He took a step closer to her, and he tilted his head down slightly. Gabriel kissed her forehead, and his nose inhaled the scent of her hair, which still smelt of hairspray and mousse. "Guilty as charged," the man answered, chuckling lightly.

"I reacted so poorly," She murmured back to him, "I just—"

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction." Gabriel assured her, "Protecting our civilian identities is our priority. We can protect each other now, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

* * *

"Everything's going to be fine." Nathalie told her nephew. "It's four-against-one. They know what they're doing."

Nathanael looked over to her, "Madame Peacock is getting an onslaught, and Chat Noir is running out of stamina."

"He'll be alright." She assured him.

His phone was buzzing, and his eyebrows knitted together as he read the text. Looking up, he searched Nathalie's face, "Where's Adrien? Nino and Alya are looking for him and he's not answering their calls."

Frowning, she tilted her head to the side, "I _believe_ he's in London for a photoshoot."

"Adrien's modelling again?" Nathanael sounded shocked, and started typing into his phone. "I thought he quit."

Nathalie shot him a smile, _well, he had a good cover before he quit,_ and lied, "It's a contract that was planned almost a year in advance, he couldn't get out it without a legal fiasco."

Lying to her nephew burned her from the inside out, but it wasn't her secret to tell. Adrien had to be protected, and she couldn't shake her feeling of dread. She was the only person in Paris who knew all four identities of the heroes fighting Hawkmoth, which put her in danger. When things were resolved with Yellow Jacket, Nathalie wondered what would happen to her.

Her eyes fell back the screen. Madame Peacock and Chat Noir had been pushed back, further down the street as Yellow Jacket charged forward, dropping to the street level. The boy was trying to charge them forward, but there was little to be done about their situation.

* * *

Alya dragged Nino down the street, weaving through back alleys, and ducking behind parked cars. "Nino, hurry up!" She clutched her mic closer to her. It wasn't on yet, but her producers were waiting for her to get closer to the scene.

"This is dangerous." He hissed back at her, crouching down. Yellow Jacket was a half-block away, and they could both hear the explosions. The energy of the entire fight was shaking them both.

"I'll owe you one, bro." She murmured back to him, a distinct wink in her eye. "One or two more cars, okay? We _definitely_ need to get the best footage."

He grumbled something along the lines of, "We definitely need to work on that physics project," but she ignored it.

Nino glanced down at his cellphone, which vibrated.

 _Nath: My aunt says that he's in London for a photoshoot?_

 _Nino: He would've told us if he was leaving for London..._

 _Nath: If Agreste sent Nathalie home to keep me safe, chances are, he's keeping Adrien safe somewhere._

Damn. Nino was hoping that Adrien would serve as a voice of reason, or at least make use of his karate skills. Putting away his phone, he glanced over to Alya. "Adrien's a no-show, sorry girl."

"It's _fine._ " Alya told him pointedly, darting down the sidewalk with her unwilling boyfriend in tow. "Turn on the camera, I'll do an opener and then we'll zoom in on the action and get closer, okay?"

He nodded, and trained the camera on her. After getting the focus correct, he checked Wi-Fi, and turned the camera on. Giving Alya the go-ahead, he looked over her shoulder, spotting her as the fight unfolded behind her.

There was no Hawkmoth or Ladybug in sight. It was just Chat Noir spinning his baton and Madame Peacock using a peacock-feathered shield. Yellow Jacket had an endless supply of grenade and smoke-bomb arrows that clouded the scene, however. It made for an interesting frame around his girlfriend's head on the viewfinder.

His eyes flashed back to Alya, who was giving her analysis thus-far of the fight. Apparently, his girlfriend believed that the fight had reached a stalemate, and that it was a test of endurance, but he knew better.

Nino started scanning around, looking for Hawkmoth and Ladybug. They were planning something. He spotted them on the top of a commercial building complex.

They were arguing. They were always arguing. _Marinette's first day back and she's already butting heads. Typical._

Nino pointed to the rooftop where the two heroes stood, and Alya shifted her narrative slightly after looking over her shoulder at the two heroes, but Nino didn't change the shot.

Marinette de-transformed, and something red floated around her. Nino thought he saw Hawkmoth with a small, white butterfly, and then Marinette disappeared.

* * *

"You sure this will work?" She looked at him, letting her transformation go.

The man sucked in a breath, "I live and breath transformations and metamorphoses. Everything will be fine."

Tikki flew to her shoulder. "Tikki, is this…is this safe?"

The kwami glanced down at the butterfly, "Yes, it's safe. You just need an object."

"An object?" She glanced back at an impatient man in a purple suit.

He rolled his eyes, "Do you want me to possess your heart?"

"That might be easier." Marinette replied. "If Yellow Jacket gets the object, we're done for, aren't we?"

Tikki glanced up to Marinette, "Are you sure? If you let any negative emotion get the best of you, you'll turn the butterfly into an akuma and we'll have to do a purification ritual."

"Which means that no matter what," Hawkmoth informed her, "you can't do anything extraneous to that villain."

The girl scowled, swallowed, and looked back at the black and yellow villain. "I guess I'll have to let it go somehow. Let's do it."

She held out her hand, and the white butterfly hopped over to her, radiating happiness. It slowly crawled up her arm, and eventually her shoulder. Hawkmoth blinked, "This is going to burn slightly. Don't worry too much about it."

"In and out." Marinette confirmed.

The akuma pierced her heart, and she felt herself immediately shrink down. There was no gradual motion. It was an instant where she was Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and in the next instant she was—

"I failed to mention that I was turning you into a literal ladybug." Hawkmoth told her, watching the tiny bug land in his hands. "It could be worse. One time I turned Madame Peacock into a peacock. It was awful, and I needed stitches afterwards. Anyway, all you have to do is fly over to Yellow Jacket. As soon as you touch her, you're going to turn back into Ladybug, and you can just snatch the miraculous off her little beehive head of hair."

He could hear her thoughts, her string of curses, and he stepped towards the edge of the balcony. "Fly high. Your senses are still the same, so you should see Yellow Jacket."

 _I hate you so much._

"You love me." He corrected, "Go, my wife is running out of time, and things are getting serious."

He watched her jump off his hand, and fly in a slightly wobbled path towards Yellow Jacket. She was quick. "I wonder if she'll get hurt on the fall down." Hawkmoth jumped off the roof, landed, and leaned against the brick wall, waiting for the hopeful end to the fight.

 _At least they won't be throwing their miraculous across entire rooms,_ he thought, the taste slightly bitter on his tongue.

* * *

To Chat Noir's credit, he was only holding up because his mother had such an intense energy about her that kept him going. Also, his mom was incredibly intimidating as a superhero. She ducked and weaved over and around him, her face was constantly pulled into an angry glare, and her eyes were fiery.

He was pretty sure that his only job was to keep them in the center of the intersection, away from where they could do any damage. The boy was the center that Madame Peacock surrounded, forcing their adversary to remain hovering above them. If Yellow Jacket pushed them one way, Chat would make sure to push back, spinning his baton, breaking arrows.

Visibility went out every so often. Yellow Jacket would aim an arrow down at the street, creating a black fog that engulfed them instantly. Chat Noir's night vision helped slightly, but he mostly kept track of where the arrows were landing, and trying to follow that direction, while leading his mother in the process.

Her miraculous beeped.

"How much time do we have left before—" He shouted over the clattering of arrows against her sheid.

"Two minutes until my magic wears off." She yelled back, "And then five minutes after that before my transformation wears off."

 _Fuck._ He glanced around, his lady and Hawkmoth were nowhere in sight. Things were getting dire, and Yellow Jacket was methodically reigning down upon them. Peacock's magic didn't really allow for leg room. The villain was on a mission that she just couldn't quit.

He was watching Yellow Jacket fly above them, keeping his eyes and ears trained on her. Her flight speed had certainly slowed down, but Madame Peacock insisted that she wouldn't leave Chat's side.

"No use in trying to catch her if she hits you with an arrow, right?" Somehow, Madame Peacock could chuckle despite the intensity of their situation.

Ladybug and Hawkmoth were out of sight for the moment, until he saw his father out of the corner of his eyes. _Just a moment,_ he thought, quickly glancing over to him.

He was alone. His father was alone.

His eyes snapped back to Yellow Jacket.

 _You can't afford to worry about her._ He told himself firmly, _she's fine, she can handle herself._

Chat could still feel her around him, at least. There was a definite sensation when Marinette returned to the present, and that sensation was still there. He just couldn't see her.

The boy vowed that the girl wouldn't leave his sight after this fight was over.

Apparently, the fight would be over in less than two seconds after this vow.

* * *

Marinette was flying at top speed as a literal ladybug towards Yellow Jacket, which probably wasn't the best idea in hindsight.

She was also _freezing her ass off._ Wasn't it still Winter? Somewhere in the back of her mind, Tikki was urging her to trudge on. There were promises of hot chocolate and blankets.

And Adrien. Tikki was definitely promising that Adrien would be there to cuddle up with afterwards.

In an ideal world, she would still be holding onto him, with her arms around his torso, and her face buried in his chest. There would still be chocolate-chip cookies to eat, and they would be heading back to the bakery. But the world was not ideal.

Yellow Jacket was following a pattern, so Marinette flew about in one spot, waiting for Yellow Jacket to flit back to her.

When the villain was within reach, the tiny Ladybug dove down, aiming straight for the miraculous, stuck gorgeously in the girl's up-do.

She felt herself morph back into Ladybug, and her hand curled around the comb, yanking it out of the blonde head of hair. Her hand was below her, and her body flipped as she moved off of Yellow Jacket.

Her other hand grasped the yo-yo at her hip, throwing it to the traffic light pole under her. It caught, wrapped around, and allowed her for a smoother, sliding landing on the pavement.

There was a quick shuffled noise, and Ladybug knew that Chat Noir had caught whatever monster had just de-transformed and fell towards the street.

Sighing, she glanced over to Hawkmoth, and then to the white butterfly emerging from her suit. Her fingers were so tight around the comb that she could feel her muscles in her right arm pulsating.

She didn't want to look, but she heard Chat Noir take a sharp breath. _Do I want to look?_ She thought. Marinette could've gone home, but she did see the reporters, peaking through the windows of restaurants and café's. She saw Alya and Nino, hiding behind a parked car. The world already knew, and it wasn't like she would be able to avoid the information.

 _Exhale._

Ladybug turned to see a very upset Chloe Bourgeois staring down a shocked Chat Noir.

* * *

"It was you." His voice was barely above a whisper. " _You_ did this? Why would you? How could you—"

She rolled her eyes at him, "You wouldn't understand. You don't know me."

 _Oh. This was an Adrien Agreste thing._

Despite his better instinct, Chat Noir smirked for a moment, before his face fell once more. "It was—I do understand. I'm sorry."

The girl was frigid, and pulled out her phone, texting her driver. "I don't care, you mangy stray."

Chat hummed, and his ears picked up an influx of information. From what he could tell, cameras were everywhere, conveniently out of the way, but close enough to see that it was her. One of his oldest friends was Yellow Jacket. Her father probably knew already. Their classmates already knew. He sighed. This wasn't going to go over well.

The good news was that Chloe was young. She would have the rest of her life to redeem herself and work on being a better person.

Still, the press would need something to focus more on. Chat Noir was a superhero, a supermodel, and a master of appearances.

All he had to do was shift the narrative a little bit. Give the world something better to focus on.

He smirked, "Consider this my last favor to you, Chloe."

Chat Noir let his transformation go.

Adrien Agreste stood in his place.

* * *

Nathalie stood, and rolled her shoulders, "I'm needed back at the office, Nathanael. I'll try to be back in time for dinner, but I'm not—"

"Did you know?" He looked at his aunt, and back at the screen. Alya and Nino had gotten the closest shot of the action. They had seen Ladybug appear out of midair, steal Yellow Jacket's miraculous, and somersault to the ground. They saw Yellow Jacket's transformation drop, but when she started free-falling, her identity was still unknown.

Chat Noir dropped his baton immediately, and leapt forward to catch her in his arms. Alya's microphone could pick up the boy's panicked yelp as he leapt to catch her. When he set the girl upright, Nino's camera had zoomed in on a shocked, angry, and slightly ruddy Chloe.

The camera shook slightly, Alya and Nino were clearly upset. Zooming out, the shot was between Chloe and Chat Noir, who stood about five feet apart. There was no mistaking the recognition and hurt on Chat's face.

They couldn't hear what the hero had said, but his mouth did move. At one point, he smiled devilishly, and in a flash of green light, Adrien Agreste stood five feet from Chloe.

Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste.

Nathalie was clearly frazzled, and straightened up into her most professional pose, and answered him, "I can't say. Non-disclosure agreement. Legal jargon. I have a public-relations fiasco to manage—I have to leave. Be good, please."

 _She totally knew._

"Okay. I'll leave leftovers for you in the fridge." He replied. The boy didn't dare reach for his phone, which was vibrating violently against the coffee table. "I love you."

"Love you too."


	23. Chapter 23

"No," She told him, "Murder is _not_ an option."

Hawkmoth glanced over to his wife, and then back to Adrien, "That's not what I was going to say."

Madame Peacock hummed in response, and her eyes cast over to Ladybug, who was taking pained steps towards the two of them. "Well, at least it's all over."

"Could I convince you to stay in town for a little while longer?" He wasn't the sort of man who begged, but there was always room for negotiation.

She smiled back at him, "I'm going to help with the aftermath, obviously."

Ladybug was upon them, her voice was hard. "What's the plan?" She was doing what she could to keep her fury down, but she was bursting through French seams.

Hawkmoth heard Peacock's miraculous beep, and he checked his broach, and realized he only had a few minutes as well. He glanced at Adrien, who promptly turned his back on Chloe and walked over to them, joining their small huddle. "Madame Peacock's going to take Chloe home. She'll talk to the mayor, and keep our interests on the table." Gabriel glanced over to Marinette, " _You_ are not going to say a word. I know how you feel towards the Bourgeois girl, but don't fuel the fire."

His eyes fell to his son, and he felt himself bubble in rage. "And _you_. I expected better from you."

"Hawkmoth, I—"

"We're very disappointed." Madame Peacock cut the boy off, crossing her arms. "I understand why you did what you've just done, and I respect your wishes to protect Chloe Bourgeois, but expect a serious grounding when you get home."

That certainly froze the boy in his place for a moment.

"Everyone knows Marinette's identity." He answered quietly, clearly still enraged at the Chloe situation, projecting it back on them.

"That was a _mistake._ She did not _out_ herself to the entire world." Hawkmoth snapped back. "You're going to take Marinette home, then you're going to find your father and _hope_ that the press hasn't broken down his door. He'll be holding a short press conference _._ "

"What about you?" Ladybug challenged, "What are you going to do?"

"I'll disappear, for now. I might take my wife out to dinner." He answered, "Go home to your family, Marinette. Hold onto the miraculous. You did a fantastic job."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Alright. Let's do this. Plagg?"

"Please kill me." His kwami moaned from his pocket. "I'm so hungry."

"There's camembert at Marinette's house." He promised, "All you have to—"

The kwami growled. "Let's go then."

Ladybug smirked at him, "You ready, kitty?"

"There are some macarons waiting." He answered, shooting a rebellious look to both of the adults, who looked slightly aghast. "Too bad my parents aren't here to stop me."

After all, when Madame and Monsieur Agreste were together, they were a terrible combination of healthy food, expensive bottled water, and regular exercise.

Actually, come to think of it, Adrien should've realized that his parents were superheroes.

"Ugh. I'm leaving you." She told him, before yo-yoing off towards her house.

Chat Noir sighed, and glanced over to Hawkmoth, who stood next to Peacock, who stood next to Chloe.

 _Shit._

"And why should I listen to you?" Chloe retorted.

 _What did he tell her to do? Why wasn't I listening?_

"Listen to me," Madame Peacock told her, "He's abrasive, but we're trying to look out for you. I'm going to take you home, and we're going to have a discussion with your father about next steps."

"Why should I have to apologize?" She replied, crossing her arms, " _He_ got away with it."

The girl brushed away a blue strand that fell over her ear, "No, Chloe, he didn't. My miraculous is about to go out, we need to get going _now._ "

He turned on his heel, and pulled out his staff, and sucked in a breath. Chat reminded himself that he had every right to be angry.

Pretty soon, he was leaping across Paris, towards a familiar bakery.

* * *

Thankfully, Gabriel had several cars strategically parked around Paris, all he had to do was de-transform, and walk to a close by car park, and drive off. Simple enough.

Except that Alya Césaire existed. And that Nino child. It was Hawkmoth's fault, being the last on the scene. Ladybug and Chat Noir were traipsing to the bakery, his partner was escorting Yellow Jacket home.

When he was a younger, spry superhero (with normal colored hair while in uniform) he would've adored attention from journalists. Unfortunately, Gabriel Agreste didn't consider himself a superhero anymore.

"Hawkmoth!" Alya Césaire was a brave kid, and reporters had flooded the streets, but no one dared approached him. Nino Lahiffe followed her obediently with a camera. "Alya Césaire. Creator of the Ladyblog. You might know me."

"I do." He answered firmly. _Don't smile, don't give her an excuse to ask a question._ "Sadly, I can't stay."

"Did you know that Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste?"

"Did _you_?" Hawkmoth replied, "Weren't you two his closest friends?"

"So you did know that it was him?" Her smirk was clear. She thought that she had him in a corner.

Hawkmoth raised his eyebrows and asked her mockingly, "' _Does the posh Adrien Agreste have experience breaking-and-entering?'_ I saw the video like everyone else, Lady Wifi. Have a lovely day."

He flew off. The man didn't prefer to fly in open air, because it made him a sitting duck, but it meant getting away from that blogger. Hopefully, aforementioned blogger wouldn't put together the dots.

Or polka-dots.

When he finally pulled into the driver's seat of his car, he acknowledged his cellphone, which hadn't stopped ringing in the five minutes since turning into Gabriel Agreste.

 _Too many people have my personal phone number._

Suppressing a groan, he dialed Nathalie, and spoke first, "I'm surprised you haven't been trying to call me."

She huffed, "I've been answering phones for the past fifteen minutes. The press is about to stage a coup. Where are you?"

"I'm on my way." Gabriel answered, "Start planning a press conference in the main lobby. Journalists only."

He heard her pause, and rapidly type something into a computer. "Alright." She affirmed. "I'll need an alibi for you. Everyone's been asking where you are."

"I'll come up with a reasonable response. The reporters are right outside the office, right? I'll let them know where I've been, and announce the press conference." He hung up on his assistant. The man was already halfway to the office, the lack of traffic was phenomenal.

Gabriel deliberately parked a few streets over, and stepped out of the car. Locking the doors and placing the keys in his pocket, he straightened his suit and started walking.

"Monsieur Agreste?"

 _They're fast._

He turned and put on a false smile. Lady Wifi and The Bubbler were heading in the same direction as him. "Alya, Nino. Always a pleasure."

"I'm guessing you're headed back to the office, sir." Nino held his camera at his side.

The girl's eyebrows pushed together. "Why weren't you at the office?

 _Step one: Protect your identity._

Gabriel inhaled.

 _Step two: Get the press focused on everything except Chloe Bourgeois._

"I was with my wife," he explained, "What we were doing is none of your business."

 _Step three: Create statements that cause more questions than they answer, but be sure that the questions lead them in the opposite direction._

"Your wife? Madame Agreste is in town?" Alya cocked her head to the side, and her eyes were searching his face, trying to find some sort of emotion. Of course it was shocking. Celine Agreste had fallen off the map.

 _Step four: Kill them with kindness._

The man adjusted his glasses, and smiled. "Yes. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a press conference to hold. You are welcome to join me, however I suspect your parents are worried about the two of you."

Nino frowned, "According to Alya's producers, the mayor hasn't said a word yet."

 _Step fiver: Once they are distracted, exit quickly._

"Why would you expect him to? He's a father first. He always has been." Gabriel responded. "Now, please, I'm pretty sure my assistant will kill me if I don't get back to the office."

* * *

Customers at the bakery were used to the Dupain-Cheng's closing randomly in the middle of the afternoon. Today was no exception to that rule.

Ladybug landed on the balcony, and she knew that Chat Noir was close behind her, but she didn't wait.

"Mamam! Papa!" She called, bursting through the trap door and bouncing down the stairs. When she was certain that she wouldn't trip down them, she de-transformed.

Her parents burst from the couch. "Mari!" Her father called, immediately grasping her in his forearms and picking her up. "Where have you been?"

"'94, '95." She answers, her voice hitched and her eyes screwed shut. Marinette had only begun to miss her parents when she forgot what they smelt like. Tom smelt like flour and forest-scented aftershave. Sabine smelt like sugar and honey-vanilla. "I missed you guys so much."

"Where did you go, love?" Her mother asked, "What did you do?"

"I…" Marinette trailed off, and pulled away.

 _Don't lie._

 _Whatever you do, don't lie. It will eat you alive._

"I stayed with Gabriel Agreste." She admitted. "I—I couldn't let myself interfere with your lives at the time. There was no bakery, mama, and there was no where else to turn to. I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Tom asked her, his mustache twitched. "I don't understand, honey. You don't have to defend yourself."

 _Right. Hawkmoth does not equal Gabriel Agreste._

Marinette nodded, blinking away tears. "I just—I lied to him so much while I was there, and I was terrified—"

Chat Noir climbed down the stairs, smiling slightly, "Terrified?"

"I was afraid that I would do something and prevent you from being born." She answered, pulling away from her parents. "I was terrified that I'd screw it all up."

He smiled, "You don't get it, do you?"

She scowled at him, "What don't I get?"

The boy de-transformed, revealing a rather dirty Adrien. The battle took its toll. He had several bruises across his face and arms, which were caused by his mother in attempts to protect the two of them. They were an array of colors, black, blue, purple, and yellow.

"In order for you to travel back in time, there had to be a reality in the future that would cause you to travel." He explained, "And we both can take a well-educated guess as to why you were sent back in time."

It dawned on her. "You had to be born."

"I had to be born." He echoed. "I'm not saying the universe revolves around me, but I'm not saying that it doesn't either."

The boy rocked on his heels, and she frowned at him. "That's not funny."

"If it's distracting you from the several issues at hand, I'm content." The boy shrugged, and pulled out his phone. "Wow. Three-hundred messages. Forty missed calls. Ten voicemails. I'm a popular guy."

"Well, obviously." Sabine told him, heading towards the fridge. "There's camembert, if you'd like it. I also have regular food if you two are hungry."

"I'm not hungry." Marinette told her mother, and glanced back to her partner. "Maybe you should address those messages."

"It only adds to the 'Universe Revolves Around Adrien Agreste' theory, doesn't it?" He gave her a model-like smile, and brushed away his hair from his face.

She swallowed, "I'm not going to forget that it's Chloe Bourgeois."

 _She was there for me when you were gone,_ he wanted to say, but he already knew her response.

Adrien sucked in a breath, and caught her gaze. Her blue eyes looked so fierce.

 _She's the reason you were gone._

 _But she was there, and for a minute, that was enough._

"I know." He told her. "I wouldn't expect you to forget."

"Son." Tom's eyes bore into his. "What were you thinking?"

Adrien glanced down at his phone. There was only one message from his father's assistant, which was fairly impressive for her.

 _Nathalie: Luckily for you, Gabriel stock is up thirty-percent. The press conference is starting soon. Please be here with a prepared statement._

"I was…I was thinking about Chloe." He admitted, "She doesn't deserve that press."

"She doesn't?" Marinette's question was leading, challenging, and was preparing for a battle. "She doesn't deserve what's coming to her?"

He inhaled, and his phone vibrated again.

 _Chloe: I'm sorry. I know an apology won't undo what I've done but I don't know what else to say to you._

The boy glanced up to Marinette, who's expression darkened. "We'll discuss it later, Mari. Let's enjoy your homecoming a bit longer, okay?"

Her eyes cast over to her parents, who looked just as conflicted as her.

It would be incredibly unfair to expect any of them to be forgiving of Chloe Bourgeois. Adrien decided to tread lightly.

 _Adrien: I know. Don't worry about it for now. We'll talk soon, okay?_

* * *

Gabriel smiled as politely as he could to the reporters. Somewhere behind him, Alya and Nino were walking.

"Did you know that your son is Chat Noir?"

He smiled, and said nothing except that he would be holding a press conference soon, and that they were invited to ask him then. Césaire would be leaking that he was with his wife, which would be easier than admitting himself that Celine was in town. It was less pandering, that way.

His hands were loose around his keypass, but he didn't need it to get inside. Nathalie opened the door and he slipped inside to a bustling lobby. Around him, over-qualified employees were rearranging furniture, gathering chairs, and placing a podium on a raised platform that was typically reserved for model fittings and showcasing.

"I'm touched." Gabriel murmured. "Take down names. Make sure everyone gets bonuses."

"Already done." She visibly relaxed. "I have our public relations department working on a few key points."

The man nodded, "Good, good."

"The important thing is that you present yourself as a loving, supportive father." She told him. After glanced around, she grasped his forearm, her tiny fingers gripping him and pulling him into the elevator that went straight to the top floor.

Gabriel glanced down to her, she was shaking. She was putting on a brave face, but her mask was cracking and breaking by the second. "Nathalie…"

Her eyes flashed to him, full of panic and full of anger. "Those reporters could accuse you of being Hawkmoth."

"I know." He murmured. "We should try to get Adrien here as soon as possible—"

"They'll know that I knew about it and didn't do anything." She cut him off, her breathing staggered. "I—I can't—what if I—Gabriel, I always figured that if something were to happen to you, I could just take Adrien and Nathanaël and go to Germany. But if something happens to me, they'll be alone."

He shook his head, "I won't let that happen. Breath, alright?" He placed a hand on her back. "We'll say that I threatened to kill you. It'll be fine."

The door opened, and she stepped outside the elevator. "We should get some powder on you, maybe more hair gel? You look like—well you always look extremely put-together. Right now you look _just_ put-together."

"I did _just_ find out that that my son is Chat Noir." Gabriel replied smugly. "Or should I tell them that I knew?"

She pressed her lips together, and sighed, "Say that you already knew. Stick as close to the truth as possible without incriminating yourself."

He nodded, and his smile was genuinely warm. "Thank you."

"Not all heroes wear capes." She answered, typing something into her tablet. "We're inviting the press inside. Everything's ready. Get cleaned up."

A coat of powder and a smidgen of hair gel later, Gabriel and Nathalie were stepping outside the elevator to a crowded lobby of reporters, who immediately filed down into chairs. Unlike the adults in the room, the only two teenagers in the room were already sitting in the front row when Gabriel entered.

"Thank you all for coming." There were several microphones in front of him, and several cameras behind the reporters, with operators standing, their backs to the streets. "Obviously, a lot has happened in the past hour, and so many reporters have contacted our offices that our team figured that it would be easier to hold a press conference than answer every repeated question."

The enter room was still, and he glanced over to Nathalie, who stood next to the stairs by the platform. His eyes fell back to the reporters, who were effectively terrified. "Let's start with the questions."

Alya might've shot her hand first, but Nadja Chamack's voice could easily command any room at any given time, and she got the first question

"Monsieur Agreste, were you aware that your son is Chat Noir before today?"

"Yes, I knew. Parents always know." He answered definitely. "I found out before Adrien left on vacation a few months ago."

"So are you happy about it?"

The room dropped in temperature. Gabriel played dumb. "What do you mean?"

"Your son is a superhero, you have to feel something about it." The reporter looked down, slightly sheepish now.

"Frankly, these are all children we're talking about, no one wants to watch their child risk their life." The man answered, his expression cold. "I'm as supportive as I can be."

He rolled his eyes as they fell to Alya, "Yes, Mme. Césaire."

She cracked him a devious smile for a moment, and spoke quickly, "Can you comment on the fact that Chat Noir is your son, Ladybug is your business partner, and Yellow Jacket's father is a close family friend of yours?"

"What are you trying to imply?" He smirked.

"You seem to be connected to a good amount of superheroes. Are you connected to Hawkmoth or Madame Peacock?" Alya asked him.

The man allowed his eyebrows to raise, "Not to my knowledge."

"Monsieur Agreste, were you aware of Yellow Jacket's identity?"

"No, I was not." He answered.

A reporter shot up, "Have you been able to get in contact with Mayor Bourgeois?"

Gabriel's eyebrows moved together for a moment. _Oh right, Paris thinks that we're good friends, right?_

 _Well, Madame Agreste and Madame Bourgeois were good friends._

"No." He paused, and made a face, "Would you all expect him to be in contact with the press at this moment? He's a family man by nature, and his family is going through a small crisis at the moment. His privacy should be respected."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" He snapped back, and exhaled.

"Are you not going through a crisis?" The reporter squawked.

"Not personally." Gabriel answered.

"Why? Aren't you upset?"

The elevator dinged, opened, and out came a stylish Adrien Agreste. "My father's character isn't under question here."

The man's eyebrows quirked. Somehow, the boy managed to go home, change into a crisp suit, brush his hair, and get back to the office.

 _Wait…no…did he steal a suit from the fourth floor?_

"How much of that did you hear?" Gabriel called to him as he climbed the stairs of the platform.

Adrien shot him a Chat-like smirk, "I have _excellent_ hearing, I'll have you know."

Gabriel took a step to the side, his expression blank, "Of course you do. You have the floor."

"Thank you." He sucked in a breath, and grinned, "Surprise!"

There was an awkward laughter in the room, but the pressure in the room was lifted, as well. This was Adrien Agreste, expert with the media. This was Chat Noir, easy-going Casanova that the press adored. His father passed behind him, heading down the stairs and back to Nathalie.

"Nailed it." The man murmured.

"Agreed, sir."

"How about that love triangle?" The vapid model quipped, "Fantastic, right?"

"Adrien—" A reporter started, Alya got in the first question.

The boy held up a firm hand, "No questions. Marinette Dupain-Cheng is back in town, and I need to make up for lost time." His eyes fell to Alya, and then to Nino in the back of the room. "First and foremost, I would like to officially apologize for the damage I've caused this city. Tomorrow is a new day, and I plan on spending my time fixing everything I've destroyed."

Frowning slightly, he glanced down. His hands were grasped the sides of the podium as he spoke, "Being a superhero can be incredibly dehumanizing. It's…well, this didn't apply to me—but it applied to Ladybug. Ladybug could, in one hour, save all of Paris and be this amazing hero, and in the next, be another girl you pass on the street."

"Not a lot of people took the time to think about what Ladybug did outside of being Ladybug." He admitted, "That's the danger of being a superhero, it's easy to fight other superheroes because they're just as anonymous as you are. It's easy to hate someone who you don't understand."

The boy gave them a model smile, "We have to make tough decisions because of this. Ladybug is one thing, but what about Hawkmoth? Who loves Hawkmoth? Who does he love? Who relies on him for a source of income, and who does he rely on?"

"So you know Hawkmoth's identity as well." Alya's voice cut in. It wasn't a question, it wasn't an accusation, it wasn't even a statement. She wasn't against the villain, she almost _liked_ the reformed man, but she was shocked.

Adrien nodded, "I do. Anyway, we have to make tough choices as superheroes…" He sounded pained for a moment, and took in a trembling breath, "Sometimes, that means forgiving those who might not necessarily deserve forgiveness. It's not easy, but it just has to get done."

"So your asking us to forgive Chloe Bourgeois?" A reporter called out, causing the boy to wince.

Swallowing, he replied, "I—"

"Haven't several gossip magazines accused you two of dating?" Another asked, incredulous. "What's the truth?"

"The truth is," He cocked his head to the side, "the press automatically assumes that any girl I'm seen with is my girlfriend, and it's getting old. Chloe is a good friend of mine, and I'm asking you all to forgive her. That is all, thank you for your time."

He took a step away from the mic, and felt like he wanted to drop to the floor. Feeling his father peer into his psyche didn't illicit a response. At least someone would understand how he felt about the entire situation.

* * *

"MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!"

She snapped up from her spot on the couch, and was immediately tackled, and smothered in kisses on the cheek, forehead, and nose. "Alya!" Marinette gasped, "LET ME LIVE!"

Alya hopped off her, and Marinette stood, and gave Nino a hug. "How was Gabriel Agreste?" He murmured, pulling away. His hands were on her shoulders, and he studied her carefully.

"It was fine." She beamed. "I didn't—wait. What did Adrien tell you?"

The girl smirked, and placed her hand on her hips. "He didn't say a word about it. We suspected that _whenever_ you went, you stayed with the Agreste's."

Marinette slumped. _Shit._ "Well, I guess I just let the cat of the bag. I'm not telling you the year, however." There was a noise upstairs, the sound of a body dropping down. "Speaking of cats."

Adrien emerged from the trap door, and climbed down the stairs. "How did you guys get here fast than me?"

Maybe Alya and Nino were superheroes and no one knew about it, yet.

Nino punched him the in arm. "Thanks for telling us that you're Chat, jerk. You made things more complicated than necessary."

"What can I say?" He shot them a smirk, "I'm a _vapid model._ "

"That joke will never die." Marinette's eyes met his, and she felt electrified with joy.

He shot her a coy smile, the feeling inside him as well. Adrien didn't forget that she loved him, and Marinette didn't forget that he loved her back.

"You don't understand." Nino told her, his voice filled with mirth. "This boy caused us a lot of hardships."

Alya prodded the boy, "I'm thinking about doing a video about the entire thing about all the reasons why we should've known it was you."

"Please do." Adrien chuckled, "I'll participate."

* * *

Some amount of hours later, when the sun was far past the horizon, the core four were engaged in a movie marathon most epic. They were laughing and giggling over popcorn and candy that Nino and Alya ran out for (Mari and Adrien were bigger than Jagged Stone).

They were in Ladybug's room, which was left unchanged since her departure. It was easy to forget everything had happened when so little between the four of them had changed.

"So, Nadja doesn't need you?" She asked them. They still had press passes clipped to their shirts, however.

Alya was arm's deep in a tub of ice cream, and returned, "Madame Peacock is still at Le Grande Paris with the mayor and several state officials, so no? They also sponsor the Ladyblog, so we get a looser leash than you'd expect. We're essentially long-term freelancers, and as long as we give them ."

Nino rolled his eyes, and revealed his camera, "We'll have to vlog this soon! Look at the two of you! Finally!"

Marinette was leaning against Adrien, who's arm was draped over her. "Bread and circuses." She answered, burrowing deeper into him, legs curled under a quilt they shared. After pausing the sci-fi movie, she acquiesced. "Alright. Let's get this over with."

Her best friend already had her phone out. "Hey, Ladybloggers—"

Adrien pulled the blanket up further.

"—It's Alya, with Adrien and Marinette."

The blonde shot the camera a good-hearted wave and smile, and smirked down at his date, "Oh, come on, Mari, Paris missed you! Cat got your tongue?"

She rolled her eyes and glanced over, "Okay, yes. I missed you all too!"

Nino flopped into her lap, "So, kids? Are you retiring?"

"Maybe." The pig-tailed girl admitted, "Although Chat Noir accounts for roughly fifty-percent of all the 'Cat's stuck in a tree' cases, there will still be crime."

Adrien leaned back on the chaise. "I haven't gotten stuck in a tree, for the record. Anyway. We're just hanging out, nothing especially intense. Some movies."

Mari beamed, and looked at the camera, "Guys, no one told me about The Force Awakens! You'd think I'd come back to Paris and everyone would be like 'Woah, Marinette, a new Star Wars came out.' But no! And I came home and asked these clowns," —she gestured to Nino and Adrien— "what movie I should watch and STAR WARS?"

Alya chuckled, "So who's your favorite character?"

"BB-8." She replied, "Who else would it be? I don't think it's fair to say that Leia, Han, or Luke are my favorite characters because they all _had_ their trilogy, you know?"

"Adrien?" Alya pointed her phone towards him, "You?"

"Oh." He smiled, " _Definitely_ Rey. I have such a weakness for strong brunettes."

* * *

When the vlog was over, and the movie faded after the post-credits scene, there was a knock at Marinette's balcony door.

The four glanced over to a Madame Peacock, who was practically glowing under the Parisian sky.

Adrien sprang up, and opened the door, ushering her inside.


	24. Chapter 24

Madame Peacock scanned the room. "I thought your room would be less…pink."

Alya was speechless, "You're…oh my god…you're Madame Peacock!"

She shot the girl a forgiving smile, and ran her hand through a blue streak of hair, "You must be Alya Césaire…and this is Nino Lahiffe. I followed your blog for a bit." Peacock's eyes narrowed, "How much do you two know?"

Her voice had taken on a threatening tone, as though she were a bird of prey.

"They know that it was '94." Adrien replied, "That she stayed with my father. Nothing else. What is it?"

She gave the four a curt smile, "I just finished with the mayor."

Marinette let the woman take a pause, before asking, "…How did it go?"

The woman exhaled, looking incredibly bored, "You two, along with Hawkmoth, are going to meet me on top of the Eiffel Tower in an hour. I'll let you know then."

Nino frowned. Peacock was clearly itching to do something, her eyes flitted around the room, taking in every detail. Jumpy, almost. "Ma'am, are you alright?"

Stretching her arm across her chest, she replied, "I was a superhero for ten years. Can't really stand still while in uniform. Side effect, natural instincts to fight everyone a meet, you know, the usual stuff. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have dinner with my husband."

"Hawkmoth." Alya frowned, "You're married to him, right?"

Madame Peacock opened the door, and turned to look over her shoulder, "Do you believe everything superheroes tell the press?" With a laugh and a flick of blonde hair, she was gone.

Marinette nudged Adrien's jaw closed. Of course he was shocked. His mother had never been so brash.

"Is she…" Alya turned to them slowly, "Is she usually that cutting?"

"Uh…" Adrien shook his head, shaking off the situation as though it were water. "I wouldn't know."

They glanced to Marinette expectantly, who rolled her eyes, "What makes you think I would know?"

"1994." Nino told her. "You would've meet her?"

"Not necessarily." She answered, "But…yes. She's abrasive. Hawkmoth is more…he balances her out as much as he can."

* * *

When the four parted, Adrien told them that he was heading home. He included a pun as well, but it's best not mentioning.

The boy didn't typically lie. At least, the boy didn't have a reason to lie anymore. He was Chat Noir. Letting the world know meant that he could just tell them whatever he was doing. No flimy excuses or hurt feelings.

Adrien could've easily told them, instead:

"Hey, I'm going on patrol really quick."

Except he wasn't. That would've been a lie to.

"Chloe."

He was in her door, on her balcony. Perhaps it was too much of him to be there, but there were things that had been left unsaid.

She was all alone, like she always had been. Sitting on a fluffy white couch, she pretended to read a magazine, and she pretended not to care. Adrien had known her since they were children, and he knew that she was eating herself alive.

He entered her suite. "Where's your father?"

"With state officials." She answered neutrally. "No one's telling me anything. There's police at the door, so you'll have to keep your voice down."

Scratching behind his ear, he shot her a sorry smile, "I wouldn't raise my voice to you."

"You're not upset?"

In truth, he understood why she would think that he was perfect for her. They could speak novels to each other with only a few sentences, and read between the lines of their social masks.

Adrien shrugged, his silhouette glowing behind him, and replied, "I should've been more clear about my feelings. I see that now."

"If I had known—" Chloe started, her voice was wet, and desperate.

"Don't cry, please. It really isn't that bad."

She cleared her throat. "If I had known that you were Chat Noir, I wouldn't have done…" Trailing off, she looked away, towards the coffee table, where several magazines were splayed out.

He smiled, his green eyes sparkling, "Heh. You sound like Hawkmoth."

Chloe whipped her head back to him, "What?"

"Nothing. Forget I said anything." He replied, sitting in the armchair near her. Chat Noir was as casual and as model-like as Adrien, except less-reserved, and more confident in himself.

It was important to keep distance from her, to remind her that he was not her object.

His glanced at his fingers, inspecting the clawed gloves, perfectly filed, as always. "Villain redemption arcs are always the same, you know? You learn something about me, I learn something about you, we understand each other a bit more, and move on with our lives. The only difference between this and Hawkmoth is that it's so public."

He stood, and pulled out his baton, checking his time. "So, why waste time going through the trouble of recognizing that we're the same? I'm not going to hold it against you for wanting something from your miraculous, when I use mine to escape being Adrien Agreste."

"Adrien." _That's naïve,_ she wanted to tell him. _You've always been too forgiving,_ but she held herself back. Chloe didn't really have much room to talk, personality-wise.

"I mean it, Chlo." Adrien smiled, "I could've been as cruel and as cold as my father, but I'm not. I'm not going to let anything change that, and I'm not going to stop seeing the absolute best in people."

She sucked in a breath. "Okay."

He took a step towards her, "Can I at least get a hug, ice queen?"

The blonde grumbled, but stood, "I thought your father was the ice queen."

"Maybe." He took her in his arms, and held her close, promising, "I know everyone will come around eventually. Maybe _not_ Marinette, but you two never got along well."

Chloe pulled away, "How mad is she?"

Chat winced, "Ahh…you do owe her an apology, at least. I'll work on it."

"You love her, don't you?" Her voice was low. She wasn't angry at him, but she was definitely frustrated with herself.

The boy nodded, "I do."

"Why didn't you say anything about it?" It was slightly demanding of her to ask, and she physically leaned back, knowing that she had no right to ask him why. "You didn't have to lie about it."

"You would've thought I was lying, however."

She swallowed, closed her eyes, and opened them. _Let it go._ "You should go, then."

"Thank you." He said as he opened the door, and wielded his baton. "I'll be off then."

* * *

Hawkmoth waited next to Madame Peacock, who was inspecting her cuticles. She should've been watching the skyline, but then again, he should've been doing the same thing. Instead, he was trying to catch the color of her eyes, and the walled emotions behind them.

She didn't acknowledge when he inched closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and let out a slightly-contented sigh, however. Almost four years apart hadn't changed the fact that their bodies were sculpted for each other.

The observation deck of the Eiffel Tower as always their favorite spot.

He kissed her head of blonde hair, and she let out a snort. "I can't take you seriously with pink hair, Hawkmoth."

"It's growing on me." He joked, "The spring line's going to feature fashion hair, I promise. I'm thinking a green for Adrien, to match his eyes."

Celine snorted, "You'd kill your career."

Humming slightly, he replied, "I wouldn't mind losing my career."

"You would."

"Not if meant going to Germany." Gabriel told her, lying through his teeth.

She tutted, "I'm not letting you pass up your legacy, you know that."

His shoulders relaxed slightly, and she sunk further into him when the tenseness finally faded away. "It was a nice thought, for a moment?"

He felt her nod, and then, he felt the walls guarding her mind slowly come down. Gabriel closed his eyes, but didn't pry. Doing this, he only felt the emotions on her surface, sadness and longing. Perhaps, in another time, he would've happily peeled back every layer, but now, he kept his distance. Her surface emotions changed to slight confusion, then shock, and then accepted content.

There were some other _fluffier_ feelings, but Hawkmoth chose to ignore them, if only to spare his own fluffy feelings.

"Where's Chat Noir?" Ladybug walked around the side of the deck. Her voice was slightly accusing.

The two pulled apart. Peacock squinted, "I thought he was with you?"

"He said he was heading home for a 'catnap'." Ladybug frowned, "I see now that that was not the case."

Chat Noir slipped, falling on his face between his partner and his parents. "I'm here!" He wheezed. Straightening up, he shot his partner a wry grin.

"Let me guess—"

"You don't have to, Marinette." He turned towards his mother, "Well, the news?"

She grimaced, "Well…after discussing it with the mayor, you three are all receiving official pardons tomorrow, along with Chloe Bourgeois."

The three in question, Gabriel Agreste, Adrien Agreste, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, all went through completely different reactions at the exact same time.

Relief washed over Gabriel's face, and he immediately glanced over to Adrien. There was nothing in his way anymore. He could give the boy his legacy without fear. His son would never have to change his last name, or hide the fact that it was his father who terrorized Paris. No jail time, no fear of the consequences, no more campaign-financing, either. The world was new again when you were no longer legally recognized as a supervillain.

Adrien stared at the floor. He couldn't remember the damage he done, but that didn't change the feeling. Still, it felt wrong, and getting away with it left a pretty awful taste at the back of his throat. He checked the time on his baton. If he wanted to get up early the next day and help with damage, he knew he'd have to head to bed soon.

Maybe Marinette's bed.

Speaking of Ladybug, she was far more vocal about her feelings than the Agreste men.

"What do you mean, _I'm getting pardoned?_ " She fired back, "I didn't commit any crimes!"

Peacock sighed, "You knew Hawkmoth's identity and obstructed justice by not informing the authorities, Ladybug. You broke the law."

Her jaw dropped to the floor, her voice was barely above a whisper, incredulous. "So she gets away with it?"

The blonde tilted her head to the side, "She does. You all messed up in one way or another, to the extent that punishing her without punishing the three of you is hypocritical. Face the facts."

"Because _protecting identities_ is somehow equivalent to _sending someone through the timeline and attempting to_ murder _them!"_

"This was the best deal I could get us." Madame Peacock stated neutrally, her scowl prominent on her face. It was very 'Gabriel Agreste' that it almost shocked the entire room.

Marinette looked as though she could strangle the woman. "You're kidding me."

Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder, "Mari."

She brushed his hand away, "How can you forgive her? How can she just come out of this with zero consequences?"

"Well," Gabriel replied, "Her father _is_ the mayor."

"Stay _out_ of this!" She hissed at him. "A majority of this is still your fault!"

Adrien glanced away, and swallowed, "Marinette."

She started walking towards the window. "You're too forgiving, Adrien. I can't—I'm not like that, I can't forgive her. How can you forgive her?"

Hawkmoth didn't have to sense emotions to tell that that had struck a chord with his son, leaving him incredibly irritated. Ladybug wasn't looking at him, she couldn't have known the impact of her words, right?

"You forgave Hawkmoth." The boy scoffed.

That shocked her slightly, and she turned, "Yellow Jacket sent me back in time, she took me away from my home and almost killed us. She doesn't deserve—"

"So what?" His voice rose, slightly, "You forgave Hawkmoth, Marinette."

She paused, and bit her lip, before telling him. "That was different."

He actually scowled at her.

Adrien Agreste looked infuriated, and his anger was directed at Ladybug.

Ladybug.

"HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT?" He demanded, "Hawkmoth terrorized our city and pushed us to every emotional, physical, and mental breaking point! What's the difference? Did you forget about Volpina, or Evillustrator, or Dark Cupid?"

A blush flashed across her face, "She's…Chloe. She caused Dark Cupid, and a bunch of other akumas."

He straightened up, "That was Hawkmoth."

"She's a terrible person!" The girl steamed, "She's always been awful and you're too blind to see it?"

"I'm too blind to see it."

"YES!"

He shot her a glare, "I know _exactly_ who she is, Mari. Do you think that treating her like a criminal is going to make her a better person?"

Marinette rolled her eyes, "I don't think pretending that she's an innocent victim will make her a better person either."

"I'm not doing that."

"That's _exactly_ what you're doing."

"The only reason you're not forgiving her is because you perceive her as a social threat to you. You have nothing to gain from forgiving her, whereas with Hawkmoth you gained a business partner and alley. Do you realized how self-serving that is?" He frowned, "The city comes first, Marinette."

 _God damn it,_ she thought, _forgiving, not naïve, forgiving, not naïve. Those two traits don't always go together._

She crossed her arms, and then decided that that pose was too pointed, and uncrossed her arms. Then, she realized that she had no idea what to do with her hands. "Fine. Are you happy?"

"I'm quite pleased." He replied. "You have nothing to be worried about. She's like a sister to me."

Hawkmoth cleared his throat, and looked over to a disinterested Peacock, "Is there anything else?"

"Not really." She answered. "Marinette's going to hold onto the Bee miraculous, until Fu returns."

His eyebrows pushed together, "You're the _acting_ Guardian, Peacock, you could just—"

She held up a hand, silencing him, "I'm second-in-command, I got this job for the power, not the responsibility. It's safe with Ladybug."

She glanced between the two young teenagers, "Don't do anything stupid in the next couple days. No excessive magic or nonsense." She turned to her husband, " _No akumas._ "

"I'm sure I'll find something to keep me distracted." He replied deviously.

Chat Noir gagged, "Well, I'm in need of a cat nap. So I'm going to head out." He hopped to the railing, smiling and calling to his partner in a sing-song, "Ladybug, let's go for a pat—"

"Where do you think your going?" Hawkmoth cut him off, "Did you think we'd forget about your little identity-reveal today, Adrien?"

Madame Peacock gave the boy a model-smile, "Yeah, kitten, if you're ass isn't in your room studying when _we_ get home you're grounding is going to be doubled."

The boy's face fell, "But I—"

"Nope." The man held up his hand, his voice filled with mirth, "We love you very much, but all excuses are hereby denied. _Go home._ "

Chat winced, "I don't—"

"We're not going to say it again." Madame Peacock stated, "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

When a grumbling Chat Noir left, the parents high-fived.

"Jesus Christ." Ladybug mumbled, "I should've known. You two have, and always will be, a force to be reckoned with."

The blonde woman smirked at her, "Right. Anyway, we're out. Goodnight, Marinette."

* * *

Gabriel had to admit, sneaking into his bedroom with a hot blonde on his tail really brought him back to the good ole' days of being a young superhero and fashion designer.

She swung the bay window shut, still standing on the cushions in the alcove underneath. "Have you redecorated?"

"I have." He admitted, lending her a hand as she hopped down, letting her transformation go. "It's more monochromatic. White, black, pops of color, gold and silver. The typical."

"Sounds boring." She replied absentmindedly, slipping off a pair of patent-leather heels. She wore a blended-wool, black dress that stopped at her knees, with sleeves that quartered at her elbows.

He chucked, and de-transformed, his hands falling to the tops of her hips. "You're one to talk. You look like a college professor."

Celine raised her eyebrows, and pressed her lips together as she smiled. "I _am_ a college professor."

The man kissed her forehead, "Good. I'm proud of you."

She pulled away from him, "I'll have to leave soon, you know."

"You could stay."

"Dragons, Gabriel."

He kissed her neck.

"Hellhounds, Gabriel." She skirted around him, heading towards the bed, "Basilisks, harpies, Gabriel."

The man hummed, following her into bed, "I'd fight wars for you, darling. For now, it's a non-issue."

"I think in the position you're putting me in," She replied coyly, unbuttoning his shirt, "Almost _any_ issue is a nonissue."

* * *

Adrien sat across from a Marinette, who was pouring over textbooks, his copious notes, and blank assignments the next day.

"Three months of work, Adrien." She would despair to him occasionally. "Three _entire_ months."

"I'll help you." He offered, sipping a chai tea.

"How am I supposed to make up for all this work?" Her eyes stared up at the ceiling. "I'll have to make up the three months of work, and make up all the work I'm missing while making up the work. By the time summer hits, I'll be in summer school, _while_ working full time for the Gabriel brand."

He smiled, "You can do it."

"If I don't pass out first, kitty."

They sat in a secluded alcove buried into a café, where you could only see them if you were looking straight at them. From a distance, they looked like two students skipping classes to cram. In reality, the girl was making up for lost time, and the boy was her escort.

Not that she needed an escort. They showed up to the café right when it opened, with all of her schoolwork in hand, and a plea to keep their presence on the down-low.

He glanced at her purse, where the Bee miraculous was tucked into an inner pocket in the lining.

"It's not worth the risk," She had told him that morning, "That hair comb isn't going out of my sight until Fu gets back to Paris."

Marinette's phone beeped, and she groaned, assuming it was another text from Alya. Upon further inspection she glanced up at him, "It's your mom."

"What does she want?"

"She invited me to dinner at Fu's apartment and said that you were cooking." Marinette smirked at him.

Adrien frowned, and shook his head, and used a gratuitous amount of air quotes. "I think when she 'grounded' me she also decided that 'cooking meals' was a part of the 'punishment.'"

Marinette smirked at him, "You're cooking isn't that bad. It'll be nice though. I haven't really spoken to her since the nineties and that was before she knew about us."

"I know." He glanced into the contents of his cup, and felt brave. "I forgot to tell you—when I stayed with her, she kept calling you my girlfriend, and I didn't correct her because she was so insistent."

The girl shrugged, "You don't have to correct anyone, you know. "

Adrien raised his eyebrows, and a blush fell over his face that could put tomatoes to shame. "R-really?"

"It's you!" Marinette grinned, "It's always been you!"

"So you're my girlfriend?" He asked. When she rolled her eyes in response, he gave her a Cheshire grin. "That's really the cat's meow, you know."

She shook her head at him, letting the pun roll off her back, and resumed her studies.

That is, of course, until Alya and Nino decided to interrupt. And Alya was livestreaming, which didn't help the situation.

"And here, in their natural habitat. Adrien and Marinette." She announced, "In a non-descript café, sitting so far apart that it's practically Victorian."

"We're sitting _across from each other._ " Marinette replied, staring at her book, "And we're _working._ "

Adrien laughed, "Is it lunch break already?"

"It is." Alya told them, sliding next to the blonde, "I'm going to end this livestream early and resume after eating. Stay tuned, Ladybloggers."

Nino scooted in next to Marinette, and started to organize the schoolwork she had scattered. "Honestly, Marinette—how are you going to do this?"

Nervously chuckling, she replied, "I have no idea."

Their waitress came to their table soon after. However, instead of smiling, she was stricken with fear. "Uh—"

Adrien noticed her discomfort immediately, "Is everything alright, ma'am?"

"There's—uh—there's a giant dragon making a havoc around the Eiffel Tower." She stated, "The news just broke."

Alya sprang up, and Nino wielded their camera. Marinette looked at Adrien, "What is Hawkmoth doing?"

"I think…" He blinked rapidly, "I think my mother said something about too many miraculous users in one spot caused a lot of…magical mishap? I thought she was just giving me an excuse for not coming back to Paris, but now I have to wonder if what she was saying was true."

She got out of the booth, and Adrien placed several Euros on the table, and asked the waitress to watch their stuff momentarily.

Marinette nodded, and headed out of the café, passing by several surprised customers on the way.

The boy followed her, "Marinette!" He grabbed her wrist, "Wait for a moment. "

"We have to go."

Adrien pulled her close, wrapping one arm around her waist and the other on the side of her hips, and kissed her. Her eyes closed as she melted, his lips soft and warm. Their kiss was urgent, however.

He had quick fingers, and in a moment, he was holding up the black and yellow comb. After pulling away from her and opening his eyes, he promised her "I'll be there soon, okay?"

Her eyes widened, and her other hand immediately dove towards his, intending to snatch the miraculous back, "ADRIEN!"

Dancing away from Marinette, he transformed, "You'll forgive me later!"

She stood on the street as a crowd of reporters surged between her, Alya, and Nino. "Shit."

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?" Nathalie's voice was cool, cutting.

Gabriel Agreste stopped in his tracks, "There's a _dragon_ , Nathalie."

"There's also a 1 o'clock meeting for the initial meeting with the Paris Opera Ballet." She answered, "If you recall, you've been sketching and planning for weeks, now."

"But—"

Her stare was cold, "The children, who do not have full-time jobs, and thousands of employees relying on them to make a living, can handle this."

"Nathalie."

She straightened a stack of paperwork on her desk, and stood, crossing over to him and shoving the papers into his chest. "You _were_ a superhero. Now you are the bane of my existence. Do this paperwork. If I have to lock you into your office, I will."

He had zoned out, staring into her serious eyes.

She snapped her fingers, "If I have to reduce you to a Jack Russel terrier, _I will,_ Gabriel."

Smiling back at her, he replied, "Do your worst. I'll be in my office."

* * *

Chat Noir broke a window when he crashed into Chloe's suite.

Normally, this cost would be paid for out-of-pocket, but since the Bourgeois butler knew _exactly_ who he was, the Agreste's were sent a bill about a week later.

The boy was panting. Inevitably, he had run himself ragged.

"What are you doing?" Chloe demanded, "In case you _haven't_ noticed—"

The boy held up her miraculous in his clawed fingers, and replied, "Dragon. I know."

She froze, "Adrien…"

"I believe in you." He told her crossing to her side of the room. She had been working at her vanity, doing homework while admiring her reflection.

He pressed the comb into her messy bun, and the kwami popped out. "I need you to just…roll with it. Ladybug and I can't fight a dragon without a long-ranged fighter on our team."

Vennum landed on her shoulder, "Let's go."

"You trust me?" Her voice was so small, "How can you—"

Her father had barely faced her since finding out. The staff only came in when she was in the bathroom, bathing and doing her beauty routine. Everyone was avoiding her, terrified because they didn't understand the magic at play.

Chat Noir shrugged, "I mean—you can be a superhero, or you can sit here and wallow. Your choice, Chloe."

When he was turning to go, she called back, "Wait! You're going to leave my miraculous here?"

"I know where to find you." He looked over his shoulder.

A large roar echoed through the building, causing them both to wince.

She stood, and smoothed her pants. "Vennum. Transform me!"

* * *

 _AN: I keep forgetting to mention but peep me on tumblr, because I finally got a fandom side-blog for all my writing and nonsense._

 _the url is gabriel-fucking-agreste_


	25. Chapter 25

Since Adrien, her boyfriend and partner, was off doing literally _whatever,_ Ladybug was the first on the scene, looking rather annoyed and ready to fight anyone and anybody in her way.

You'd think tourists coming to Paris would be smart enough not to stay on the streets with a literal dragon flying around.

You would be wrong.

"GET OFF THE STREETS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU!" She was screaming, she was in rage mode.

She was Ladybug without a Chat Noir.

Or at least, she was a Ladybug dealing with the most idiotic Chat Noir in the history of Chat Noirs.

Her skin prickled a she stared up at the dragon, who was an icy white, with a back created out of snowy mountains, and wings that looked like two giant, intricate snowflakes. Icicles hung off the dragon at his chin, around his tail, and off the forearms of his two hind legs.

So, that accounted for the extreme shift in the weather. So much for the nice weather.

Chat Noir landed next to her. "My lady."

She took a step away from him, and glanced around him, "Try not to murder anyone, princess."

"Wouldn't dream of it. And it's Queen Bee to you." Chloe haughtily replied.

"HA! That's rich."

"I _am_ rich, unlike you. What did you expect?"

Marinette groaned. "Fine. Fine. Well, shoot it with an arrow."

The dragon was the size of two or three busses put together.

Queen Bee scoffed, "Don't me what to do."

"Did you have a better plan?" Chat snapped, before catching himself, and letting out a pained breath, "Let's defeat this dragon, okay? Then you two can hash it out."

The blond shot him a cold smile, and withdrew an arrow, an aimed.

"Try not to hit one of your social rivals." Ladybug crossed her arms and bit her lip.

The girl let the arrow go, and as it flew, replied, "Shame you couldn't save the day this time, _Mari._ "

Except, Queen Bee wasn't the one to save the day either. The arrow flew through the air, hit the scales on the dragon's neck, and bounced off, unceremoniously falling back towards the ground.

The dragon let out a high roar, which was like the sound of a finger running over the wet rim of a wine glass. It was melodic, loud, and slightly graining on the ears. The creature was curled around the Eiffel tower, not willing to budge.

Ladybug said nothing.

Chat took several steps forward, and help up his clawed glove. "Perhaps we should aim for the underbelly."

"What?" Queen Bee asked.

He rubbed his own stomach, "That's the squishy vulnerable part, right? With the three of us, I'm sure we can get me under there, and I'll cataclysm his underbelly."

The black and yellow girl shifted her wait to her other hip, "You two really aren't offensive."

"You could always fly over there." Ladybug replied, "Fly super fast, you know, pull that crap you pulled on me, cut him open."

Chat stepped forward. "No need. The cat's in the bag." With that, he was sprinting towards the tower.

With no Adrien Agreste to serve as a buffer things got awkward. Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo, checking to see if Hawkmoth or Madame Peacock's locations were known.

 _I guess they're not showing up,_ she thought bitterly.

Ladybug charged forward as well. Adrien at this point, was climbing up the Eiffel tower, slowly, so as not to disturb the dragon.

Not that the dragon was paying much attention. It was a dragon.

Queen Bee inspected her cuticles, and flew up, intending to serve as a distraction.

That was until the dragon roared, blasting her entire body and sending her rolling backwards through the air. Landing on a parked car, she rubbed the back of her head, and glanced around.

Making note of several civilians and reporters staying at her, she flitted up, and brushed away a flyaway piece of blonde hair.

"Is that the best you got?" She called to the dragon, who was glaring at her with steely eyes.

Meanwhile, Ladybug's hands were gripping the steel of the building, when she felt her eyelids fall. The cold was not reacting well with her skin.

Still, her current plan was to treat the dragon like a shark, and punch it in the eye.

 _I need a new plan,_ she thought, climbing further up the crossbeams.

Ladybug looked up. The dragon had not noticed how close Chat Noir had gotten to him. His hand was already summoning his darkness in the palm of his hand.

Just a bit father…

Chat jumped off a crossbeam, up to the belly of the dragon. Letting out a low, humming sound, the dragon flapped its crystalline wings, flying away from the boy shouting, "Cataclysm!"

Now the idiot was free-falling to the ground.

Marinette didn't even have to think about the way she lunged immediately upwards to him, flinging her yo-yo out towards him. Her anger towards him was set aside, erased completely as her thoughts turned to protecting her partner.

It didn't even matter. Chat Noir is a superhero, he extended his staff to catch the beams of the tower, stopping his drop towards the pavement by a dozen meters, approximately. Ladybug's breath hitched in her throat as she felt her shoulders relaxed. He was safe.

The futility of arguing with a partner who could die at any second really struck her at that moment. But only for a moment, because existential philosophy had on place on a battlefield.

The dragon circled around the park, casting a large shadow as it identified the three targets aiming to destroy it. Ladybug was heading to the top of the tower, still.

"Need a lift?" Queen Bee mused behind her. "It must be obnoxious, to be a ladybug without the ability of flight. "

She rolled her eyes, and glanced over her shoulder to the flying girl, who hovered a distance away. "You're the idiot sharing airspace with an ice-breathing _dragon._ "

Chloe thought about that for a moment. "I guess that's true. Still, I'll get us there, to the top of the tower, if that's your goal."

"I'll climb." Marinette replied.

Adrien de-transformed, and sucked in a breath, standing under a tree, and fishing out a wrapped piece of cheese for the kwami. "What do you think, Plagg?"

"If an arrow from Chloe didn't pierce the dragon, neither will a cataclysm." The black cat murmured back, "I also think that Ladybug might murder 'Queen Bee' or 'Yellow Jacket', whatever her name is."

The boy sucked in a breath. "So we can't destroy him from the _outside._ "

"Kid, I did not say that."

"I'm fairly certain—"

In an instant, he was flying through the air, over the shoulder, his face pressed against a quiver of arrows. This effectively shut him up.

"Chloe!"

"I'm sorry!" She huffed, trying to finagle a way to aim an arrow while carrying a heavy wait over her shoulder. "I'm setting everything on fire."

Adrien sputtered, "What, don't—"

Too late.

The arrow whizzed through the air, and suddenly, the grass underneath him was up in flames, the arrow serving as the only spot where grass still grew, the epicenter of the chaos.

He shut his eyes as the heat kissed his cheeks, arms, and ears. Chloe flew further up, and towards the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Being flown at that speed made Adrien nauseous. In his defense, he did eat lunch right before getting into the action, which wasn't a wise decision, but he was he supposed to know that a literal ice-dragon would attack Paris?

The dragon in question, flew low, and for a moment, it's wings melted as it stood among the fire. Letting out an icy blast though, the grass soon covered in snow, and the fire was squelched.

"It's wings are reforming!" He yelled, "For now, it's flightless. This is our chance."

Chloe set him down next to Ladybug, who stood at the top of the tower. "Well," She replied, "That would be helpful if we weren't all the way up here."

"I can _carry_ you." Chloe snapped.

"You can also go to hell."

Adrien rolled his eyes, "Plagg told me that a Cataclysm won't pierce the dragon's scales."

Plagg popped out, "I did say that. Try using Lucky Charm."

Ladybug bit her lip, and nodded, and called her magic together. "Lucky Charm!" She yelled triumphantly, throwing her yo-yo into the air.

When a hazmat suit landed in her arms, she shook her head, "No." She murmured. The girl didn't have to look around to know exactly what to be done. She swallowed, and accepted it. "Chat." She told the blonde, "Transform, please, if you can."

Transforming, he looked at her with a quizzical expression. "What is it, My Lady?"

The girl felt as though she were choking. "Put this on." She told him, weakly. "If we can't destroy him from the outside, we'll have to destroy the dragon from the inside."

"Like _Clash of the Titans?_ " Chloe asked, "That's insane."

"I don't know the movie reference, sadly." Marinette admitted, with a small smile.

Chat was covered head-to-toe in a polka-dotted hazmat suit. "So, what's the plan?"

"The dragon is going to eat you, you're going to use Cataclysm from the inside." Her voice was hard. She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him away, partially out of Chloe's earshot. "Destroy them from the inside-out."

"Marinette."

The fear on her face was so clear. So many things could go wrong.

She glanced down, "If I lose you, I want you to know that I love you."

"I love you, too." He answered, "I'll be back in a moment."

She nodded, shutting her eyes and gritting her teeth, she replied, " _I'm going to throw you off the Eiffel Tower."_

"That's fine."

" _After the shit you've pulled today, I'm going to take a small pleasure in it."_

Adrien chuckled, and kissed her forehead. "That's fair."

Her miraculous beeped. "Okay, kitty, make a pun, and then we'll do this."

He stared into her eyes, past the protective plastic of the suit over his cat-suit. "Well, My Lady, I'm afraid a cat's got my tongue."

She sighed, and bent down, picking him up and toting him over his shoulder like he was a pound of flour.

 _I keep forgetting that she's built._

Chat Noir was supposed to be paying attention at that moment to what she was saying, but instead he was memorizing the way she smelt of flowers and gardens.

Acutely registering that he was flying through the air in a glorious arcing motion, he spun, trying to find the dragon.

Marinette, despite her best judgement, watched at the dragon flew up towards the falling Chat Noir. Thankfully, the dragon didn't shoot the boy with an icy blast, turning him into a _chat-sicle._

No, the dragon flew up, and swallowed him whole, wrenching Marinette's cold, dead heart.

The dragon coughed, sputtering as darkness enveloped it. It landed, crashing to the ground.

Pretty soon, the dragon was gone, and there was a young man, covered in ice and snow, standing in the middle of a large set of dragon bones.

The idiot had survived.

Ladybug couldn't stop herself from jump off the tower, quickly rappelling with her yo-yo down the monument.

Her feet hit the grass, and Chat Noir was carefully peeling off the hazmat suit, shivering to his core.

She ran to him. She had never run so hard in her life towards him. Ladybug tackled him to the ground, frost cracking off of his leather suit.

He coughed, "MY LADY! Please…take me out to dinner first."

Ladybug hopped off him, and grabbed the hazmat suit, calling out a miraculous cure. A million butterflies later, the city was back to normal.

Queen Bee landed nearby, and Ladybug let out a huff, "Good to see that you weren't needed _at all._ "

"I did my best." Chloe replied.

"Yeah, whatever." The black-spotted hero replied, "Hand over your miraculous."

Chat stood, "Mari, we can trust her."

"No. We can't." Ladybug replied, turning back to him, "I know I've been MIA for the past few months, but you don't get to act so flippantly with miraculous without my input, and when I escort Chloe home, expect me at your door. We're going to have a long talk about what it means to _be partners,_ because it's abundantly clear that someone forgot."

The boy was about to make a protest, but a death glare from his girlfriend stopped him in his tracks.

Ladybug let her shoulders drop, and glanced back at Chloe, who looked equally intimidated. "You fly home this instant. I'll follow you."

The blonde nodded, slightly hypnotized by the fierce ocean that was Ladybug's eyes. She flew off in the direction of the hotel.

"Mari…"

"You put me in danger." She told him, not looking at him, "You put _us_ in danger so that you could see the best in her."

Adrien swallowed hard, "In my defense, I see the best in everyone."

She shook her head, and headed in the direction of the hotel.

* * *

Marinette let her transformation go, and absentmindedly set out a box of cookies for Tikki, and pulled out her phone.

 _Mari: Can't talk tonight. Tired, and Angry. Going to take some time away from Miraculous stuff. Will probably see you tomorrow._

 _Adrien: It's fine. Don't forget about dinner with my parents._

Sadly enough, she had totally forgotten about dinner with Adrien's parents.

* * *

She arrived at Fu's apartment exactly on time, wearing a pair of gray trousers that cinched at her ankles, gold foil oxfords, and a light blue button-up. Ringing the doorbell, she was surprised when Gabriel answered and ushered her inside.

"I will warn you now," he told her, "They're trying to get us to participate in the cooking."

"I heard that!" Celine called from the kitchen. "If you two don't make this salad I'm withholding dessert!"

Marinette looked over to him. "A salad isn't that hard."

"It's beneath me." He replied, his humor as dry as ever.

She rolled her eyes, and glanced to the dining table, where a set of instructions was laid out, as well as all the ingredients and necessary materials to make a salad.

Her mouth curled into a devious smile, "You'd probably make a sub-par salad, anyhow."

Gabriel scowled, "First of all, it's pretty hard to mess up a dish that is _literally_ tossed together. Secondly, I'm not going to fall for that."

Beginning to chop a head of (hopefully) pre-washed lettuce, she replied, "Alright, grumpy. I'm going to make the salad. Do something useful."

He glanced towards the kitchen, "Have you spoken with Adrien?"

Her hand gripped the knife tighter, "No." She whispered back.

Gabriel perked up slightly, and strolled into the kitchen. "Don't you think you should go on patrol, Adrien? Crime really picks up around this time, you know."

Marinette felt like wringing the old man's neck.

Adrien burst out of the kitchen in a stained apron, shooting her a wide smile, his face covered in an absurd amount of flour. "How about it, buginette? Like old times?"

"I suppose." She replied flatly, heading into Celine's old room, and onto the fire escape.

He followed her up. When she transformed, he paled, "Marinette."

"Let's just do the patrol, Adrien."

Adrien swallowed, "Talk to me."

"Okay." Mari replied, "I'm pissed that you're letting Chloe get away with it."

The man ran a hand through his hair, "We're supposed to forgive people. We're heroes."

The girl's bluebell eyes seemed darker, "Forgiveness? We're supposed to forgive her?"

He leaned against the edge of the building, his smile faint, "We forgive akumas, we forgave Hawkmoth—"

"If he wasn't your father," Marinette cut him off, "I wouldn't have forgiven him. He'd be in jail."

Holding up a finger, he shook his head, "If he wasn't your gateway into the fashion industry, he'd be in jail."

She paled, "That's not true."

"But it doesn't hurt the Hawkmoth predicament, either." Adrien pointed out. "I know that your career is important to you. And I know I'm speaking from hypotheticals but it's still worth pointing out."

"Is it?"

He nodded, "Hawkmoth sent us to hell and back, and we forgave him because he's my father and that's what you do. He's not a good person. Yellow Jacket did the exact same to us, and she's like a sister to me. How is that different?"

Marinette frowned, and took in a breath, "She's a bully, Adrien. My entire time at school included her and she's been nothing but cruel, petty, and cold. Your father may be a terrible person, but he never—"

"He manipulated you as soon as he figured you out." Adrien told her, "I know his behavior doesn't excuse or make light of Chloe's actions, but it's a little ridiculous that you're holding them both at two different standards."

"It took time." She informed him, "Monsieur Agreste and I worked for an entire month together, and then I was with him in the nineties and…it's different now. You're expecting me to bypass all of that work with her immediately."

A smirk curled across his face, "So you'll work with her, at least?"

Crossing her arms, she glanced away, the skyline luminescent. "That's _not_ what I said. I need you to lower your expectations, and I need you to be here for me."

"I am here for you." His voice was soft and sincere, and his eyes were like emeralds.

"Act like it." Tears broke into her voice, and she turned, unable to face him.

Adrien took a few steps towards her, and she felt her heart pick up in pace. "I'm here for you, Marinette. I'm always going to be here for you."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng bit her bottom lip, "It doesn't feel that way."

There was a distinct pause. "That's going to change." He promised her, "You're my partner, and you come first. And it may not feel that way, but I love you and you alone."

She nodded. That was enough. Things weren't the best between them, but things would get better.

"Then let's go on patrol, chaton." Marinette swallowed, and let herself smile.

* * *

 _So this is the end! I'm crying, to say the least. I'm the worst when it comes to conclusions and goodbye's. I'm proud of the story that I put out, I'm proud that I completed it, and I'm proud to say that I learned a lot from this experience._

 _Thank you to everyone who read, kudos'd, commented (inspired me with ideas and character/plot analysis), and recommended my story to others. Thank you for sticking with me and getting this far._

 _Please talk to me on tumblr (gabriel-fucking-agreste) and stay tuned for my next big fic™, where Aurore Beaureal gets the peacock miraculous, and starts to get shadowed by the woman trapped in said miraculous, who she can only see and hear ._

 _XOXO,_

 _Poppicock_


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